Question
Dear team, my son is 9 years old, and in the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that he seems significantly heavier than other children his age. Additionally, he has a tendency to eat excessively. He usually doesn’t like to play and instead spends more time eating. How should we treat pediatric obesity and overweight?
Answer
When a child is diagnosed with obesity, parents can increase their child’s physical activity and control their diet to change the symptoms. Parents should supervise their children in engaging in aerobic exercises such as jogging and swimming, and encourage them to consume more high-fiber vegetables like winter melon and tomatoes. It’s important to prohibit the consumption of fried foods and dried fruits, which are high in calories, fat, and heat. Strictly controlling the child’s diet and preventing overeating is beneficial for changing the child’s obesity. During the treatment of obesity, if the above methods do not alleviate your child’s obesity symptoms, it is important to go to the hospital promptly to determine the cause and avoid exacerbating the condition.