Question
What are the common symptoms of pediatric obesity? What should be noted?
Answer
Obesity can occur in children of any age, with a peak incidence at around 1 year, 5 to 6 years, or during adolescence. Affected children have a strong appetite and prefer oily and sweet foods, are inactive, and have an overweight body with thick and evenly distributed subcutaneous fat, which is different from pathologic obesity. The accumulation of fat in the cheeks, shoulders, breasts, and abdominal wall is particularly noticeable. Parents should be careful not to develop picky eating habits in their children and should encourage a balanced diet.