Baton Rouge Clinic Health Library

Nutrition > Is My Child Overweight?

Imagine you are at the pediatrician’s office with your 11 year old son for his annual check-up when she informs you that your son has “X” disease. This chronic disease will cause him to be short of breath during exercise and tire easier than his friends. Over time, it will cause physical changes in his appearance. She goes on to tell you that as this disease progresses, he will begin to have problems with his glucose levels and blood pressure and, if left untreated, will cause damage to his kidneys and heart. Many children and teens with “X” disease suffer with low self-esteem and are at risk of depression.

Fortunately, “X” disease is treatable, but she says it won’t be easy, as his treatment will affect the entire family’s daily routine, and may require lifestyle adjustments. What if “X” disease was cancer? What if “X” disease was obesity? Although the above scenarios may seem a bit extreme, how different should your response to a diagnosis of a chronic disease be?

Obesity is a disease that has quickly become a top health concern for children in America. Today nearly 2 out of every 10 children are considered obese, with certain ethnic groups nearing 3 out of 10. The long-term complications of obesity have been well described in adults, but even 10 years ago, complications such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular they are becoming so common, health care experts are scrambling to keep up with the best ways to treat and deal with obesity and its related health problems in children.

There are currently very few FDA approved medications to treat young children with weight related complications like Type 2 Diabetes and high cholesterol, and it often takes years to determine a medication’s safety profile on young developing bodies. The best treatment is early identification of those children at risk for obesity. Often the hardest part for pediatricians is making parents aware of the problem in their child.

Some physicians find it difficult to address concerns in a child when the parents themselves are obese, or they become frustrated because they see no changes after focusing on the issue. Some parents are defensive about the topic when it is brought up by the pediatrician, and some physicians and/ or parents don’t see it as a problem. The truth is that most parents when presented with the proper information, are appropriately concerned about the health of their child. What loving parent wouldn’t be? The hard part is figuring out how to help your child, and how to do it in a way that will work for your child and your family.

The first step is learning whether your child is obese or if your child is at risk of becoming obese. Statistics show that 40% of children with one overweight parent and 80%of children with two overweight parents will be overweight. Family history plays a significant role in how your child’s body is shaped. If your child is at genetic risk or you have concerns that your child is overweight, schedule a visit with your child’s pediatrician for a check-up so that he/she can calculate your child’s BMI, or Body Mass Index.

BMI is the ratio of a person’s body weight to height, but this number has certain limitations. The Centers for Disease Control has a good explanation of BMI and how you can calculate your and your child’s number. It can be found at http://www.cdc.gov. By typing “BMI” in the search engine, you can easily navigate to the correct page. If your child is already in the overweight category, ask your child’s doctor about the next step.

Because being overweight involves both physical and emotional aspects, most experts agree an approach that addresses both concerns is most successful. This is much more important in children, as self-esteem is developed early in life and a child’s self-worth is crucial to a happy, well-adjusted adult. When dealing with young children, the focus is often on the parents’ lifestyle and habits, and addressing those things that may be a problem.

Does she eat when she is bored? Does he have access to “outside” time where he can run around and be a kid (and burn off some calories)? Do pressures at work make it difficult for parents to cook meals at home instead of eating out? Have certain foods been made easily calories? The key is often educating parents how simple changes can make a huge difference without sacrificing too much of a family’s lifestyle. If done correctly, it often results in families spending more time together and living a healthier life, which is less stressful for everyone.

We recently had the pleasure of watching five wonderful children and their families participate in a program called “Kids on the Geaux”. They entered the twelve- week program eager to learn what they could to help their children at risk for health problems, and all five finished a success story. They all worked with a dietician, an exercise physiologist and a child psychologist every week, and put what they learned to work.

They learned that playing basketball with Dad for 20 minutes is exercise, that seconds was okay if it was vegetables, and that it’s okay to have chocolate milk at school but maybe only on Mondays and Fridays! But best of all was the confidence on the faces of these 5- 12 year olds that said, “I can do this!” and the pride on the parent’s faces that agreed with them 100%.

If you are interested in learning more about helping your child, contact your child’s pediatrician. He/she can direct you to resources, either books or programs, to help you and your child live a happier healthier life!

Shelley M. Martin, MD, FAAP
Specializing in Pediatrics

The Baton Rouge Clinic, AMC, offers this information as a courtesy service. Please remember that medical knowledge is always evolving and we cannot represent that any of our information is absolutely current. Please consult a physician before taking any medical action based on information gathered from this or any website.