Doctors find 50% of paediatric patients overweight

Out of every 100 paediatric patients, 50 are found to be overweight and 20 to 30 children obese, according to doctors. While most are five to 12 years old, children between three and five years old are also found to be obese.

Dr Bhaskar Shenoy, consultant paediatrician, Manipal Hospital, said despite the reopening of schools, children's health is still a concern with obesity directly linked to screen time and snacking. High calorie commercial health drinks are also a cause.

Doctors, however, aren't prescribing restrictive diets like low carbohydrate intake since it is counterproductive in children, but are instead putting them on fresh fruits, greens, suggesting moderation and prohibiting processed foods and aerated drinks. This is to prevent early onset of lifestyle diseases like pre-diabetes, heart conditions and respiratory distress.

Dr Rajath Athreya, senior consultant and HOD, Paediatrics and Neonatology, Sakra World Hospital, said, "Body mass index/weight charts are the most printed documents off my clinic printer these days. Every fourth paediatric patient is either overweight or obese. Childhood obesity has shot up from March 2020 to March 2022. Children may see an onset of lifestyle diseases not in their 40s but in their first decade of life."

Dr Yogesh Gupta, pediatrician, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, said, obesity is one of the major causes of juvenile onset diabetes and hypertension. For the past one year he has been noticing metabolic syndrome (conditions that occur together: increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels).

"Metabolic syndrome is characterised by obesity and Acanthosis nigricans (darkening of skin around neck and axilla) along with insulin resistance. If there is suspicion of metabolic syndrome, we carry out basic tests like lipid profile, blood sugar and thyroid," he said. It can be addressed with regular exercise, Yoga and cutting on junk food.

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