If you gain weight during childhood, the number of fat cells increases, leading to adult obesity.
Pediatric obesity is defined as having a weight that is 20% or more above the standard weight for height in the age range from infancy to adolescence, or having a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile compared to peers of the same age and sex.
Professor Seo Jeong-hwan stated, "Even in children, obesity can lead to complications related to metabolic syndrome such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, and an increase in blood lipids can cause atherosclerosis, leading to blocked arteries, which increases the risk of angina, myocardial infarction, and stroke." He also said, "Overweight can impair physical activity, put stress on joints, and stimulate the pituitary gonadotropins, leading to precocious puberty, which can negatively affect height growth."
Pediatric obesity is greatly influenced by family eating habits and behavioral patterns. If one parent is obese, the likelihood of the child being obese is about 40-60%. If both parents are obese, the child's risk of obesity increases to as high as 80%, and there are studies showing that if the mother is obese, the child's risk of obesity increases by more than 2.5 times compared to children without such risk. Therefore, to address pediatric obesity, the entire family needs to correct their eating habits by reducing high-calorie and high-fat foods like fast food and eating a balanced, nutritious diet. Additionally, it is necessary to modify behavioral patterns by engaging in activities such as walking together.
The key to treating childhood and adolescent obesity lies in inducing and maintaining lifestyle changes. For obese children, dietary management may be more effective than excessive exercise. Professor Seo Jung-hwan said, "Since obese children are in their growth period, even if their weight doesn't change, they can overcome obesity if they grow taller," and added, "It is better to maintain a balanced diet containing various nutrients such as calcium, protein, and fat at appropriate levels, rather than reducing food intake to lose weight." He explained that since each obese child's eating habits and appropriate calorie intake can differ, consulting with specialists and nutritionists for nutritional counseling is also a good approach.