Why are children prone to obesity during puberty?

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Puberty consists of a series of stages that affect the skeletal, muscular, reproductive and nearly all other body systems. Physical changes during puberty increase a child's height and weight, and even make them more prone to obesity during puberty, a common concern of many parents.

1. Why are children prone to obesity during puberty?

Childhood obesity is a major public health concern worldwide. Nutrition, energy balance, and hormones influence each other during pubertal growth and development. Children who are overweight and obese are often taller for their age and sex and tend to mature earlier than thin children. Accordingly, efforts should be made to detect the impact of childhood obesity on the prevention of metabolic and cardiovascular disease in later life.
Causes that make children prone to obesity during puberty include:
1.1 Decrease in energy metabolism when children enter puberty When children reach puberty, ie adolescence, the level of Physical activity is lower than when children are in childhood. This difference is due to the fact that the child begins to spend time learning as well as the child's consciousness gradually shifts to the dominant inner thinking process. That's right, in a recent study, scientists also showed that children tended to use less energy, with an average difference of 450 calories per day, significantly increased rest time compared to children. at the same time when the child was 10 years old.
This may contradict the common belief that children at puberty need more energy to grow, rapidly increase body size. However, in reality, a large part of the excess energy due to reduced physical activity during puberty turns into fat and makes children more prone to obesity.
1.2 Increase daily calorie intake Due to the “wave” of high levels of growth hormones during puberty, children tend to consume more food than their bodies actually need. . Children eat better, especially energy-rich foods such as starches, sweets, and soft drinks. In addition, with the careful attention and care of parents, as well as the increasingly rich and diverse forms of food processing and preparation, it has increased the children's appetite and made them eat more food. more than. Therefore, if calorie intake during early puberty remains the same, children will still tend to gain weight rapidly.

1.3 Impact of lifestyle The prevalence of obesity in puberty has begun to increase rapidly in the current industrial age, especially in developed and developing countries. This difference is huge compared to the previous generation, when fast foods were not yet formed. In addition, one of the biggest causes of childhood obesity in modern society is that children have been free to use their daily pocket money quite early, to spend on buying snacks when they are young. children at school at recess or at home.
Besides, the development of science and technology with technological devices, the internet and electronic games makes children more inclined to reduce physical activity, increase passive rest time.

2. Is weight loss necessary during puberty?

Puberty has been shown to be a factor in excessive weight gain, causing children to become obese. The psychological and physiological changes surrounding puberty with a less-than-perfect appearance can sometimes be a cause for concern. At this time, some children will be too focused on losing weight to have an "ideal" body, which can cause psychological trauma or even eating disorders in the long run.
Therefore, parents need to explain to children what a reasonable weight range is and more importantly, body weight does not always represent the entire value of a person. At the same time, children also need to have parents as a guide or companion to support safe weight loss, including appropriate exercise methods and nutrition.

3. Safe weight loss exercises without drugs for teenagers

A basic way to control calories is to move, be more physically active. Children should be encouraged to do this with at least one hour of structured exercises and activities throughout their day. These activities may include:
Cycling Skateboarding Swimming Dancing, dancing Walking or jogging Coordinate sports Accordingly, the child's body will be able to burn more calories at any time. When children get away from the TV or computer screen and get physically active to help lose weight. It is important for children to choose things that they really enjoy doing and keep it regular for a long time, becoming a regular habit. Try to make time each day for exercise and make it a natural part of your life.

4. Healthy Diet for Teens

In addition to being more active, parents need to pay attention to what their children eat, because this is also an important ingredient in supporting safe weight loss. At the same time, parents should also spend time analyzing for children to understand a menu with a safe weight loss diet so that children can actively improve their eating habits.
Also, other ways to cut unnecessary calories include:
Review beverage options: Too many sodas, juices and sports drinks can actually be addictive. Replace them with water and cut down on empty calories and added sugars. Increase fruits and vegetables: Most fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and nutrients while they are also low in calories. That means your stomach will fill up faster and eat less. Try eating fruit as a snack or before a meal to cut calories without feeling hungry. Stay away from fast food: There's nothing wrong with eating burgers and fries from time to time, but avoid those foods on a daily basis. Avoid frequent snacking: If children feel hungry in the afternoon, parents should stock up on healthy snacks such as fruit, cereal, yogurt... and avoid candy, cookies, and sweets that contain a lot of food. many calories. Also, pay attention to other reasons your child might be craving food, like boredom, fatigue, or feeling stressed. Emotional eating can make body weight worse and make weight loss more difficult.

5. Unhealthy weight loss methods

One of the biggest mistakes that teenagers and often adults make is trying to find shortcuts or ways to lose weight fast. These unhealthy weight loss methods can quickly backfire and can even be dangerous.
Skipping meals: Children because of inferiority complex feel like skipping meals, especially if they ate too much at the previous meal. However, skipping meals can be counterproductive. This is because children may eat more calories at their next meal, and because they are too hungry, they are more likely to eat junk food. Improper Diets: Extreme low-calorie diets can be tempting to lose weight quickly, but these types of diets are often unhealthy and can sabotage your initial weight loss efforts. head. When not consuming enough calories, the body actually retains fat to fuel itself, which further increases fat metabolism. Plus, most of the initial weight loss is water, not fat. Weight loss pills: Weight loss pills aim to lose weight quickly, but most people come to have uncontrolled use behavior. Meanwhile, these products are inherently unsuitable for puberty, when the body is in a stage where it needs to receive all the nutrients for healthy development, especially at a young age. youth. Exercising too much: Exercise can be a healthy way to manage weight, but too much can cause both physical and mental problems. Some children obsessively put exercise pressure on themselves to the point of being considered a behavioral disorder.

In short, obesity during puberty is a fairly common problem in today's modern life. However, if there is advance preparation of basic knowledge and skills, parents are the best companions and supporters for children to experience important developmental milestones. Moreover, safe weight loss methods without drugs are always encouraged by exercise and nutrition regimes that will be the foundation for children to develop in the future.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has implemented a general health checkup package for all subjects, ages and genders. The fact that children are examined at this age helps doctors detect abnormalities and intervene in a timely manner. Especially in obese children often have a high risk of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure.
Through the examination, the doctor will advise on a diet and lifestyle suitable for each child's condition, helping the child have the best health for the later development stage. The examination is always performed by experts, qualified doctors from many major hospitals across the country.

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