Obese adolescents: elderly and sick adults

Poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle (too many hours in front of the television or computer), the lack of attention that some parents give to the feeding of their children due to their busy working life, tobacco and substance use, etc., are some of the main causes of the increasingly widespread juvenile obesity in our country.

In Spain, One in four males and one in five adolescent women are overweight. In addition, after the United Kingdom, we are the second European country with the highest number of obese children. Due to obesity, two out of ten Spanish adolescents have cardiovascular risk factors.

Excess fat in adolescence

Obesity is defined as an excess in the proportion of body fat, which in adults and young people is measured with the body mass index (BMI), which is a good predictor of cardiovascular disease development and mortality from coronary heart disease.
Generally, a child is not considered obese until he weighs at least 10 percent more than the recommended weight for his height and body type. Obesity commonly begins in childhood between the ages of 5 to 6 years and during adolescence. Studies have shown that the child who is obese between 10 and 13 years old has an 80% chance of becoming an obese adult.


How to calculate our body mass index?

According to the consensus of the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEEDO), a BMI value equal to or greater than 30 is a determinant of obesity. The formula for knowing the BMI is the following:

BMI = Weight / (height) 2

Example: A woman with the following data:
65 kilos / 1.68 x 1.68 = 23.03
If the body mass index is less than 20, it means that we are underweight.
If the BMI is 20 to 24, it means that we are at the right weight, normal.
In the case of obesity, the index varies whether it is a man or a woman, as follows:
- Men = 25 - 29.9 kg / m2
- Women = 24 - 28.9 kg / m2


Causes and risks of obesity in children and adolescents

Obesity in children and adolescents may be related to:

1. Poor eating habits (diets rich in saturated fats, with excess of industrial pastries, etc)
2. Lack of exercise.
3. History of obesity in the family.
4. Medical diseases (endocrinological or neurological problems).
5. Medicines (steroids and some psychiatric medications).
6. Changes in life that cause them a lot of stress (separations, divorce, moving, deaths, abuse).
7. Low self-esteem.
8. Depression or other emotional problems.
9. Eating too much and lose the ability to stop.

There are many risks and health complications due to obesity, for example:


1. Increase in the risk of heart disease.
2. High blood pressure.
3. Diabetes.
4. Emotional problems and low self-esteem.
5. Problems breathing.
6. Difficulties when sleeping.

Increase physical activity

The first step that must be taken is to assist a specialist, the doctor will study the possibility that it is a physical cause, which will require a specific treatment. In the absence of a physical disorder, the only way to lose weight is by reducing the number of calories that are eaten and increasing the level of physical activity of the child or adolescent. Lasting weight loss can only occur when there is motivation. In many cases obesity affects more than one family member, in these cases it is necessary for the whole family to become aware of the problem and propose joint measures making food and exercise a family activity.

Tips for obese adolescents

- Develop a weight control program.
- Educate the teenager and the family.
- Detect pathological food behaviors and treat them, promoting a healthy diet.
- Change eating habits (respect schedules, eat slowly, develop a routine)
- Plan meals and make a better food selection (eat less fatty foods and avoid foods of little nutritional value)
- Control portions and consume fewer calories
- Increase physical activity
- Make meals as a family instead of watching television.

What to eat so that our diet is healthy?

Nutritionist Yolanda Sanz recommends:

1. Keep a regular schedule at meals And do not skip any of the three main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
2. Take vegetables and / or salads every day at lunch and at dinner.
3. Eat fresh fruit daily: One or two pieces of fruit are enough.
4. Increase the consumption of pulses during the week.
5. Increase fish consumption at least three times a week. Providing that, at least, one of them the fish is "blue".
6. Increase consumption of whole grains: bread, pasta, rice.
7Drink between 1 and 2 liters of water a day.
8. Use a good olive oil to cook and dress the food.
9. Maintain a smooth and regular physical activity.
10. Do not abuse canned foods, precooked dishes, sausages and animal fats in general.
11. Decrease salt consumption.
12. Dedicate a few hours a week to do an activity that you like and relax you: walk, read, go to the theater, to dance, to ride a bicycle. If you take care of your mind, you will also take care of your body.

Alicia Gutiérrez Lacalle
Advice: Yolanda Sanz, nutritionist

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