What Causes Children to
Become Overweight?
Children become overweight for
a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic
factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating
patterns, or a combination of these factors. In rare
cases, a medical problem, such as an endocrine disorder,
may cause a child to become overweight. Your physician
can perform a careful physical exam and some blood tests,
if necessary, to rule out this type of problem.
Genetic Factors
Children whose parents or brothers
or sisters are overweight may be at an increased risk
of becoming overweight themselves. Although weight problems
run in families, not all children with a family history
of obesity will be overweight. Genetic factors play
a role in increasing the likelihood that a child will
be overweight, but shared family behaviors such as eating
and activity habits also influence body weight.
Lifestyle
A child's total diet and his
or her activity level both play an important role in
determining a child's weight. The increasing popularity
of television and computer and video games contributes
to children's inactive lifestyles. The average American
child spends approximately 24 hours each week watching
television-time that could be spent in some sort of
physical activity.
Is My Child Overweight?
If you think that your child
is overweight, it is important to talk with your child's
doctor. A doctor is the best person to determine whether
your child has a weight problem. Physicians will measure
your child's weight and height to determine if your
child's weight is within a healthy range. A physician
will also consider your child's age and growth patterns
to determine whether your child is overweight. Assessing
overweight in children is difficult because children
grow in unpredictable spurts.
For example, it is normal for
boys to have a growth spurt in weight and catch up in
height later. It is best to let your child's doctor
determine whether your child will "grow into"
a normal weight. If your doctor finds that your child
is overweight, he or she may ask you to make some changes
in your family's eating and activity habits.
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