(From left) Kyunghee University Hospital Department of Pediatrics Do-hyeon Kim, Endocrinology Professor Jeon Sook“I’m worried because my child doesn’t eat too much”.
Parents want their children to grow up well and eat well. For this reason, most parents are tolerant of their children’s overeating. This is because they think that adequate nutrition is necessary as they are growing up. However, experts point out that maintaining a proper weight with a balanced diet and sufficient calorie consumption is far more important than overeating.
Professor Kim Do-hyeon of the Department of Pediatrics at Kyunghee University Hospital said, “Unlike the past when food was scarce, the age of childhood obesity onset is gradually lowering due to overnutrition, unbalanced eating habits centered on convenience food and instant food, and irregular lifestyles, which are breaking down the nutritional system.” “Because childhood obesity not only slows down growth, but can also act as a cause of future adult diseases such as fatty liver, diabetes, and high blood pressure, parents need to make special efforts,” he advised.
Complications of obesity include fatty liver and diabetes. Fatty liver is when more than 5% of the liver’s weight has accumulated in the body. Because there are no symptoms, it is easy to neglect and if it persists, it can develop into steatohepatitis, which can lead to liver damage and liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in the future. As the prevalence of fatty liver in children and adolescents has increased by 44% over the past 15 years, special attention and attention are required.
Professor Jeon Sook of the Department of Endocrinology at Kyunghee University Hospital said, “40-50% of children and adolescents with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is related to obesity and overweight. “Inappropriate eating and eating habits are one of the primary causes of childhood obesity, so unconditionally allowing children’s favorite foods because they help their growth will eventually lead to adverse health effects due to biased meals such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Therefore, it is necessary to change the perception of parents and the adults around them.” Professor Jeon Sook continued, “In order to help children grow and develop, it is necessary to provide a nutritionally balanced meal and create an environment where they can focus only on eating when eating, so that they can chew and enjoy food several times to help them absorb nutrients effectively. do,” he said.
Obesity is largely divided into primary and secondary. If the total energy intake exceeds the consumption without a specific disease, it is primary, and if it is related to a specific disease, it is secondary. That is why it is necessary to identify the exact cause and manage it effectively through consultation with a professional medical team and various tests.
Professor Jeon said, “Usually, when evaluating dietary intake for obesity treatment, there are cases where fat intake is perceived as unconditionally bad. Intake is essential,” he said.
The key to childhood obesity treatment is exercise and diet control. Swimming and indoor cycling are great, but if your child isn’t interested, it’s a good idea to recommend a game that allows them to exercise. In addition, when correcting eating habits, it is important to maintain a balanced diet so that sufficient energy and nutrient intake can be achieved rather than unconditional weight loss considering that you are growing. Professor Kim Do-hyun said, “If you look at the recently visited obese children, most of them do not lose weight, but rather gain 10-20 kg because of the influence of Corona and cold weather. Therefore, the whole family, not the child alone, should make efforts to exercise and improve their diet together. It is the most important,” he emphasized.
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