Smart guide regulating the diet of obese children & bull; hello healthy

If the child is already in the obesity category, this is a sign that you need to change your little one's lifestyle. The reason is, obesity increases the risk of children developing various health problems such as diabetes to heart disease. In order for children to stay healthy, you can no longer just serve food. The diet of obese children really needs to be maintained so that their weight does not continue to increase. You don't need to be confused, I will explain the diet of obese children that should be applied starting from children diagnosed with obesity.

When is a child said to be obese?

Before implementing dietary changes, you need to know the limits of obesity in school-age children. You can use the three classifications used from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2000, the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) 2006, or the World Health Organization (WHO) 2006.

I will give an example of how to determine the nutritional status of obesity using the curve from the CDC 2000 with the following formula:

The child's actual weight divided by the ideal body weight based on height times 100 percent

(Actual BB / ideal BB x 100%)

If the result is 110-120 percent, then the child is in the category overweight (overweight).
If the result is more than 120 percent, then the child is categorized as obese.

This method is quite complicated and requires precision. The reason is, to determine the ideal BB itself, it is necessary to do special calculations. Therefore, you should ask the help of a pediatrician or clinical nutritionist to assess it.

What happens if the child is allowed to eat carelessly?

You cannot underestimate the effects that occur if obese children continue to eat carelessly. There are many risks of health problems that can attack your baby, such as:

Increased blood pressure and cholesterol which interfere with the function of the heart and blood vessels.
Impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
Airway obstruction during sleep (obstructive sleep apnea) and asthma.
Disorders of joints and muscles.
Fatty liver, gallstones, to diseasegastroesophageal reflux (GERD).
Skin problems such as susceptibility to fungal infections and excessive acne.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Psychological disorders such as withdrawal from the surrounding environment, anxiety problems, to depression.

The diet of obese children that needs to be applied

To implement a diet for obese children, I divide them into two categories, namely those that are recommended and need to be avoided. Here are the details.

Recommended diet

The diet that should be applied to obese children is as follows:

Balanced calorie intake according to children's needs. Consult a clinical nutritionist to get the right dose.
Eat regularly, namely three large meals and two snacks a day.
Adopt a healthy, nutrient-rich diet such as vegetables, fruit and whole grain products that are varied daily.
Adopt the habit of drinking water that is always given between large meals and snacks.
Consume lean protein from a variety of sources.
Consume low or fat-free dairy products.

Eating patterns that need to be avoided

Not only applying the recommended diet, you also need to pay attention to what should be avoided, namely:

Foods high in saturated fat and trans fat.
Fast food (junk food) and instant food.
Foods and drinks high in calories and sugar.
Bottled drinks and sodas.

Can obese children diet?

Diet for obese children is okay as long as it is under a doctor's supervision. Basically there are three things that need to be considered in the diet of obese children. First, applying the right diet, secondly providing proper physical activity, and thirdly changing children's behavior by making parents as role models. The goal is to prevent weight gain by maintaining optimal growth and development.

Diet can be done by providing scheduled meals, with details of three large meals and two snacks. However, what is different is the choice of food types that are lower in calories and healthier.

In order for diet therapy in obese children to be successful, children must be supported by the people closest to them. So that the diet is not only carried out by the child but also involves parents, family members, friends, and also teachers at school to achieve success. So, parents not only tell their children to eat healthy foods or exercise, but the whole family also applies it.