Patient's question:
My child is a boy, 6 years old. Recently, I've noticed that my child is getting fatter and eating a very large amount of food. He doesn't like to play outside often. Could you please advise on how to treat childhood obesity and lack of physical activity?Doctor's answer:
When a child suffers from obesity, parents can increase their child's physical activity and control their diet to alleviate the symptoms. They can start by teaching the child to swim, as the resistance of water during swimming is much greater than the resistance of air during land-based exercise, leading to faster fat burning. During this period, the child should be given vegetables that are beneficial for improving obesity, such as winter melon and green pea puree. Avoid letting the child eat high-calorie, high-fat foods like hamburgers, French fries, and cookies. Additionally, it's essential to break the child's habit of disliking exercise, as this can easily lead to fat accumulation. If the child's obesity is severe during treatment, it is recommended that parents first take the child to the hospital for a check-up to determine the cause of obesity before starting targeted treatment.