Patient's question:
Is pediatric obesity a disease? The neighbor's child is very fat and still young. Only six months old, weighing 35 pounds, and only weighed over six pounds at birth. Growing too fast, is it because they eat too much? The family doesn't let them eat more, but it doesn't work. The child cries if they aren't full. What should we do? Is it a disease? Are there any good methods?Doctor's answer:
Nutritional excess leads to an intake of calories exceeding expenditure, with excess calories stored in the body as triglycerides, resulting in obesity. Improper infant feeding, such as immediately feeding the baby every time they cry, can lead to a habit where the child seeks food at every setback, making them prone to obesity. Alternatively, feeding infants high-calorie solid foods too early can cause rapid weight gain and lead to obesity. Excessive nutrition during the later stages of pregnancy can also become a predisposing factor for obesity after birth.Recommendations:
Weight management through dietary restriction should aim to achieve weight loss while ensuring normal growth and development in children. Therefore, it is not advisable to rush the process, causing sudden weight loss. Instead, focus on controlling weight gain and reducing it to no more than 10% above the average standard weight calculated for their height. In such cases, strict dietary restrictions may not be necessary.