Nutrition in Young People - Overweight and Obesity
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) obesity is a disease in which there is excess accumulated body fat capable of causing health problems.
Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in the world and is increasing at an alarming rate. Its prevalence is so high that the WHO considered it the global epidemic of the 21st century.
Obesity is a risk factor for other more frequent health problems such as: Diabetes, HTA (high blood pressure), dyslipidemia (changes in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels), atherosclerosis, depression…
One of the biggest problems of obese children/young people is lack of physical exercise, inappropriate eating habits, anxiety, bombardment of fatty food advertisements, troubled family life – everything weighs in the balance. If one of the parents is obese the child/young person is more likely to be obese.
Obesity treatment
The diet has to provide a reduction in energy consumption, below energy needs. The food plan has to provide all the nutritional requirements necessary for good health. Some patients may benefit from a vitamin and mineral supplement. The diet has to take into account energy expenditure, personal tastes, and energy needs.
For many overweight children/young people, the emphasis may be on weight stability rather than weight loss, allowing for weight reduction as the child/young person grows. In more severe cases weight loss may be recommended to reduce the long-term health risk.
Advice to help the child/young person (all changes in eating habits must be monitored by a health professional):
- Help a child/young person to develop good eating habits, without being placed on strict diets.
- Reduce progressively saturated fats, sugars, salt and salty products from family meals.
- Increase the practice of family physical exercise.
- Food should not be used to punish or reward.
- Ensure that the diet is balanced, complete and varied (food wheel).
- Adults should set the example of healthy eating.