Since the 1970s the rate of children and adolescent obesity in the US has tripled. In fact, approximately 1 in 5 school-age children are obese. Being overweight or obese can affect a child’s self-esteem and confidence. Most importantly, obesity can also seriously impact your child’s health. While genetics can play a role in whether your child is overweight, eating a healthy diet and maintaining an active lifestyle can prevent childhood obesity and also help your child shed excess weight.
If you are concerned that your child is putting on too much weight it’s important that you talk with a doctor. Dr. Trupti Patel is a certified obesity medicine specialist who works with everyone from children and teens to adults and can provide your child with safe and effective strategies for helping them maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI) to improve their health and wellbeing.
If left untreated, childhood obesity can lead to more serious health problems including,
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Asthma
- High cholesterol
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
If you’ve implemented healthy eating habits and exercise into your child’s life but they are still struggling with being overweight this is where our weight loss physician can help. We can recommend a proper diet and exercise plan that will be most effective for your child while also educating everyone on healthier lifestyle habits. Many times children just don’t understand healthy habits, but by educating them we provide them with the tools they need to understand how to lead a healthier life.
We offer a variety of custom weight loss programs for your child to meet their needs, and we have a team of dietitians, nurses and meal planning specialists who can work with your child to come up with a weight-loss strategy that works. We can also work with the entire family to instill healthy eating habits and physical activity in everyone, which will further encourage children to follow in their parents’ healthy habits and lifestyle.