Introduction
Obesity in childhood is a real serious concern around the world, with a gradual increase seen in recent years. A change in lifestyle and eating habits is the major contributor to this rise. To overcome this challenge, it is necessary for the parent, pediatrician, and child to put together efforts to detect, prevent, and manage childhood obesity. This article deals with the role of pediatricians in addressing obesity in children, what can be done, various techniques used, and the challenges encountered in this regard.
What Is Childhood Obesity?
Childhood obesity is a condition mainly shown by children having excess body weight when compared to their height. Body mass index(BMI) is calculated by dividing a child’s weight in kilograms by the height in square meters. This is the most common method to measure obesity.
Childhood obesity is on the rise and increasing at a faster pace, raising serious concerns about this being a public health issue globally. Obesity in children can be classified according to many factors:
- Age.
- Sex-specific BMI percentiles.
A BMI above the 95th percentile is considered obese based on age and gender. Overweight is considered when it is between 85 to 95.
Obesity in childhood can be caused by multiple factors acting together, such as genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors. Having a family history or a prenatal maternal history of diabetes or obesity, early feeding patterns also have a significant impact on body weight. Dietary patterns and early feeding, degree of physical activity, and socioeconomic background also have a major influence on the weight and tendency to be obese.
What Are the Effects of Childhood Obesity on Health?
Childhood obesity has a profound impact on health, affecting both mental and physical. The main effects are as follows:
- Type 2 Diabetes: There is an increased chance of developing diabetes in children who are obese. The reason behind this is there will be increased insulin resistance, thereby impairing the metabolism of glucose and ultimately leading to fledged diabetes.
- Hypertension: Obese children have harmful effects on the cardiovascular system. This leads to increased blood pressure, raising the risk of stroke and other vascular complications in life.
- Liver Issues: Obese children are more likely to develop fatty liver disease. With time, this can lead to liver complications like cirrhosis, fibrosis, and liver failure.
- Bone Issues: When there is an increase in weight, the body will get strained to bear it. This is taken up by the musculoskeletal system. This results in increased discomfort, symptoms of arthritis, more risk of fractures, and limitation in mobility. All together has a significant effect on the physical activity of the child.
- Mental Health Effects: Being obese in childhood can have a tremendous negative effect on mental health. Issues of low self-esteem, stigmatization, bullying, and anxiety are very common. Children who are overweight and obese face a lot of discrimination, being left out, and name-calling, which leads to significant emotional damage and mental health issues in the long run.
What Is the Role of a Pediatrician in Overcoming Childhood Obesity?
To help overcome obesity, it is important for parents and doctors to be together and work towards the same goal. The role of a pediatrician is very important and has various impacts on overall management. The main roles of the pediatrician are:
- Diagnosis: The child must be screened regularly and diagnosed early to start the required intervention. Regular pediatrician visits are an ideal time to monitor the height and weight of the growing child. They use various tools such as charts, BMI percentiles, and foot measurements to screen for obesity. A pediatric checkup also helps in figuring out any risk factors for obesity by taking preventive measures beforehand. Genetic factors, medical conditions, degree of physical activity, exercise, or sports the child plays are all factors the doctor notes down and guides the parents and child further.
- Education: It is the pediatrician’s primary role to counsel the parents and guardians regarding leading a healthy lifestyle, consuming less processed and junk food, having healthy balanced meals, regular physical activity, and behavior modification strategies. The doctors can offer diet plans, portion control, and various strategies to increase activity. They also help the parents address any challenges related to exercise or diet issues, thereby providing a platform for their concerns.
- Behavior Modification: Obese children need help in managing their weight. The doctors use various intervention strategies to achieve the same. Along with the caregivers, the doctors set up a realistic goal in a certain time frame. And develop simple action plans with regular monitoring and tracking. These include diet modifications, increased activity, exercise routines, and stress management techniques. Overall, complete support and encouragement are provided by the pediatrician to the child and family.
- Collaboration: The pediatrician also has the responsibility to collaborate with all concerned healthcare professionals to provide the best care and treatment for the child. Dietitians, psychologists, social workers, parents, and other specialists based on the condition of the child may be required to work together. When all professionals come together with the family, the child finds the environment easy to cope with and will have a better chance of seeing a change in his life.
What Are the Challenges Encountered?
As with other childhood diseases, the pediatrician faces numerous challenges in managing obesity. Some of them are:
- Limited Time: Treating and talking to a child patient takes lots of time. And with an increased number of patients, the pediatricians may be unable to do a complete assessment and proper counseling. This leads to failure in creating a comfortable friendly rapport between the doctor and the child and may hinder further treatment.
- Uncooperative Parents: Oftentimes, the parents deny the treatment plan or are not supportive of providing the kind of diet and physical activity that the child needs. In some cases, the parents blame obesity on heredity and decide to let it be without taking any action. These challenges must be explained by the pediatrician patiently and calmly, building trust with the parents and child simultaneously. This will encourage the parents to help with the management plan.
- Financial Barrier: Many families do not seek treatment, fearing the cost of treatment, as most insurance companies provide limited insurance coverage or lack of reimbursement.
Conclusion
To conclude, pediatricians play an important role in managing obesity in children. They help provide assessment, and guidance regarding diet and activity and provide motivational support throughout the treatment phase. They too face challenges like parent consent issues, time constraints, and barriers due to financial issues. Still, they are committed to promoting health in children, so that they remain disease-free in the long run.
