What is Causing Teenage Obesity?

Obesity is a chronic disease associated with severe health ailments.

• Genetic traits are known to increase the risk in many cases.
• Unhealthy eating pattern – Intake of too many calories, especially in the form of junk food or overeating and binging. Fried foods, sweetened juices, processed and packaged foods, all contribute towards obesity.

Dr Temo K, WHO technical officer, Fiji, says, “Promotion of healthy foods has fallen by the wayside. They are unable to compete with the glamour and flashiness of imported and advertised goods.”

• Sedentary lifestyle. The modern-day technological subservience has led to reduced/lack of physical activity. Simple physical activities like walking, cycling, climbing stairs, or helping with household tasks have all taken a back seat!
• Social pressures for various reasons can lead to negative emotions like depression, boredom, anger, which influence risky eating habits.

Dealing with Teenage Obesity

Parents can start noticing the signs of overweight very early on in their kids. It is Parents’ and guardians’ fundamental responsibility to encourage healthy eating by setting an example. Their diet must Include fresh fruits, vegetables and nutritional snacks in the diet along with inspiring and pushing them for any kind of physical activity including cycling, biking, swimming is imperative.

BMI for teens is measured, taking into consideration their height & weight and compared with standards for children of the same age and gender. 85th to less than 95th percentile is considered overweight, 95th percentile or more is assessed obese. There are cases of extreme obesity where the BMI is at or above the 120th percentage of the 95th percentile.

Speak to your healthcare provider to understand these technicalities better.

• They can help your kid with weight-loss medications and complementary lifestyle changes.
• Bariatric surgery in teens is generally recommended in extreme cases, for cases which can gravely harm the health condition. For extreme obesity, gastric sleeve surgery, rarely gastric bypass surgery is recommended after studying the person’s body type and other related factors.
• Bariatric procedure in teens can be more challenging than in adults. Kids have to be prepared to let the body cope with it; get used to a whole new way of eating and living. Patients need complete support from family in terms of switching to a new lifestyle, regular exercising, keeping up with follow-up appointments – In all, supporting them through and through the practical & emotional phase.