Being fat is not a crime and neither is being pleasantly plump; but if your child weighs more than a child should at his/her age and has exceeded his/ her Body Mass Index (BMI) more than the normal standards then there is definitely a cause for concern, for child could be obese.

Obesity is not a very good state to be in. It is not only an excuse for peers to poke fun at your ward, but it can also lead to several health problems for your child or adolescent when s/he becomes an adult.

With the advent of junk food and video games, physical exercise and healthy diet have become nuances of the past. And as a result, obesity has become a growing medical concern among children.

CAUSES OF OBESITY:

1. In many cases, obesity is genetic. If either parent (or even both), a sibling etc. is obese then chances are that your child will be obese as well. However, if your child’s lifestyle is a healthy mix of nutrition and physical activity then obesity can easily be avoided.

2. One factor that roots obesity in children and adolescents, more than inheritance or any other factor is the consumption of abound calories and the lack of burning them. So if your offspring hogs when not hungry and refuses to go outside and play, preferring to stay put in front of the idiot box, then s/he is definitely en-route to obesity.

3. If your child is active and still can’t loose weight irrespective of mush exercise s/he puts in, there are chances that your child is suffering from an underactive thyroid problem (hypothyroidism). Please keep in mind that just because your child is overweight or obese, doesn’t mean that s/he has thyroid.

HOW TO OVERCOME OBESITY:

Although obesity in itself is not fatal, but its side effects can very well eliminate life. Obesity causes heart failure, diabetes, delay in puberty, depression, immobility and subsequent lack of socialization, shortness of breath, higher risk of breaking bones, water retention and many more problems that make living normally absolutely impossible. Therefore, getting rid of the excess fat becomes extremely important.

1. The best way to shed those kilos is by increasing physical activity. Encourage your child or teen to go outside and play with his/her peers instead of sitting home and watching television. Whenever going out him/her, walk if possible and also convince your ward to engage in activities such as skipping or cycling which are mega-calorie burners.

2. Provide your child with a healthy and balanced diet. Make sure s/he takes his pulses and vegetable which are highly necessary for his/her development. Don’t give him/her things with artificial sugar, as it is not recommended for children and teens rather try to regulate their sugar intake. Cut down his/ her processed food intake. Also, note that crash dieting and starving is not  away to get your child’s health back rather it’s a way to worsen his/her health ever more.

3.Make sure your child drinks lots and lots of water. Hydration is the key to loosing weight as it flushes out all toxins from the body. Take care that your child drinks 8 to 10 glasses of water each day.

4.Don’t punish or scold the child for his/her weight gain for obesity is harder for him/her than it is for you as a parent. Love and encourage them to get back in shape.