How Can Healthcare Centres Help in Pediatric Weight Management Do you know 25%, i.e., 1 out of 4 children in the age group 2 to 17 in Australia, are currently dealing with obesity? It also means that they will lack immunity and become prone to multiple diseases from early childhood, which is terrifying news for both parents and children. Hence, the healthcare centres at Bella Vista encourage parents to know about the condition in detail and take adequate steps to keep it in check. With this blog, we intend to provide comprehensive information about weight management for children to help them lead a healthy and happy life.
What should be the Ideal Weight for Children and Adolescents? Though there is an ideal weight range for children of all age groups, doctors prefer using BMI or Body Mass Index as the benchmark to gauge body weight. It's because the BMI calculations correlate with many body fat measures and can render precise results about the excess fat. With the help of the following chart by the healthcare centres at Bella Vista, you can analyze if your child requires weight management or notBMI Percentile Range
Weight Status
Less than 5th Percentile
Underweight
5th - 85th Percentile
Healthy Weight
85th - 94th Percentile
Overweight
95th - 99th Percentile
Obese
More than 99th Percentile
Severe Obese
Why is Weight Management Important in Early Childhood? Weight management is critical in early childhood because the unhealthy fat in your child's body can affect them throughout their life. They may become early victims of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Similarly, being unable to mingle in a group, social isolation, and depression are also common in obese individuals. Furthermore, you may not be able to treat obesity with medications, but you can indeed prevent it with little care from early childhood.
Complications due to obesity in Early Childhood ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Early onset of type 2 diabetes High cholesterol High blood pressure Bone and Joint pain Inability to perform physical activities Sleep disorders Earlier puberty or menstruation Respiratory problems Skin infections
How Can Medical Practice at Bella Vista Help Children in Weight Management? Even a slight variation in the weight trajectory of your child is an indication to visit the doctor because they can help you in the best possible way. Here is how healthcare centres at Bella Vista help your child to overcome the unhealthy weight gain-
Examination Sometimes we think that changing the diet will suffice, but weight gain is not just an aftereffect of unhealthy eating habits. There can be many other reasons responsible for the same. Hence the doctors suggest blood tests to understand any other problem associated with the issue and provide a suitable remedy.
Encourage For a child battling obesity, positive reinforcement or encouragement by the doctor can do wonders. Through their empathetic approach, the doctors can inspire your children to adopt a healthy lifestyle without thinking they are losing something.
Create an Eating Plan By thoroughly assessing your child's condition, doctors can suggest a healthy diet to control the weight. The eating plan shall ease your efforts, too, as it will be comprehensive and help to plan out the diet in a better way.
Plan the Activities The doctors can suggest the number of outdoor play and exercise hours for your child according to their age and weight. They can also guide you with the intensity of the exercise routine to help your child shed the excess weight. By approaching a doctor, you shall receive a simple yet effective plan to reduce your child's body fat.
Monitor the Progress Doctors have various scales where they can analyse your child's progress and see how they score at the weight trajectory. The frequent monitoring shall help to tweak their daily routine to catch up with the weight chart, enabling your child to lead a happier, healthier life.
How Can Parents Help in Weight Management of Their Children? Though the doctors in medical practice at Bella Vista contribute a lot to the weight management of children, the support from the parents at home is crucial to making the journey successful. From conscious eating habits to adopting a healthy lifestyle, parents can bring prominent changes in the routine to witness noticeable changes in their children. Here is a list of how you can take of your child and help them manage their weight● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Shift to a healthy lifestyle and be a role model for your child Provide safe drinking water instead of soda or sugar-laden fruit juices Limit the juice intake; instead, offer whole fruits Include colorful vegetables in their diet If they insist on juice, give 100% pulp without sweeteners Add whole grain cereals to their diet Ensure at least 2 hrs of outdoor playtime daily Avoid packaged foods at any cost Limit the screen time
Give Your Child a Healthy Life with Medical Practice at Bella Vista There can be many reasons for the excessive weight gain in your child, so once you realize there is a problem with their weight, reach for a doctor immediately. They can run tests to diagnose the real reason behind this issue and provide you with valuable insight that can help prevent excessive weight gain and give your child a healthy life.