Question
My daughter is 9 years old, and in the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that she’s been gaining weight, and she seems to eat excessively and be particularly lazy. How should we treat child obesity and overweight?
Answer
For children with obvious symptoms of obesity, parents should encourage them to engage in more physical activities and avoid picky eating. They can start with aerobic exercises like jogging, hill climbing, and swimming. Additionally, children should be encouraged to eat more high-fiber foods such as spinach and carrots. Snacks like macadamia nuts and cookies, which are high in calories, should be avoided. If a child tends to lie down after eating, parents must help correct this undesirable behavior. During the treatment of obesity, if the above methods do not alleviate your child’s symptoms, it is important to go to the hospital promptly to determine the cause and prevent the condition from worsening.