If in the past parents mainly worried about their children being underweight and malnourished, now doctors are facing the reality that more and more children are gaining too much weight, leading to a series of dangerous metabolic disorders.
According to doctors at Children's Hospital 2, behind obesity is not only overweight but also high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, fatty liver and insulin resistance, diseases that are common in adults. Notably, for every 3 overweight and obese children, about 1 child has experienced at least one metabolic abnormality.
The group of students at the end of primary and secondary school is at high risk. This is a stage when the body develops rapidly, hormones change and form eating and living habits that have a long-term impact on health.
The main causes are identified as modern lifestyles. Children easily access fresh water, milk tea, fast food and processed foods that are rich in energy but poor in nutrients. Meanwhile, outdoor activity time is increasingly narrowing due to academic pressure, prolonged use of phones and computers, and lack of sleep. These factors disrupt metabolism, creating conditions for obesity and related diseases to appear early.
Worryingly, the age of metabolic disorders is increasingly younger. Many children as young as 8-10 years old, even only 2-3 years old, have been diagnosed with fatty liver, dyslipidemia or signs of insulin resistance. A common symptom is dark skin on the neck or armpits. However, most children still eat and play normally, so families find it difficult to recognize if they are not checked regularly.
In addition to physical effects, overweight and obesity also negatively affect mental health. Many children are self-conscious about their appearance, reluctant to participate in group activities or become targets of teasing at school. Prolonged psychological pressure can make children turn to eating as a way to relieve emotions, making obesity even more difficult to control.
Doctors recommend that parents should not maintain the concept of "fat children are healthy", and should not apply extreme weight loss measures. Weight control needs to be scientifically implemented, suitable for each age group, through a balanced diet, limiting sugary drinks and processed foods, increasing exercise, getting enough sleep and periodic health check-ups to detect abnormalities early, thereby having timely intervention measures.
