Child Obesity Linked With Adult Obesity?

[Rainstorm55]

As a kid, I wasn't really obese, but I was definately overweight. Now I'm 14 years old, and my BMI 25 -- not really healthy for my age.

So, to counteract that -- I have replaced all my fatty foods with low fat substitutes. I don't drink juice, soda, or milk -- just water. I walk a mile a day. I watch my portions. I cut out fast foods. I eat a lot of salads (with really low fat dressing) to make sure I get my veggies. I also take a multivitamin. I've been doing this for 5 months and I haven't lost a pound. Is this because I was a fat kid? Or is there something I'm doing wrong?

I just don't get it, especially since half of my friends eat ice cream, fast food, and potato chips all the time and are really skinny...

[netle]

Hi Rainstorm,

I am sorry that you seem to be having difficulty losing weight. You said that you eat low fat substitutions, but those aren't very helpful if you're eating too much. Do you know how many calories you're eating in a day?

Some of the changes you've made sound like a good start. Drinking only water, walking a mile each day. But you might need to take it a step further. Have you thought of doing different and more challenging forms of exercise?

You could ask your parents if they could set up a meeting with a nutritionist who could help you make sense of all these things and point you in the right direction. If they can afford it, maybe they could hook you up with a personal trainer who will expose you to different forms of exercise and help you make it more challenging.

I believe the reason obese/overweight children become overweight adults is because they are not taught proper nutrition at a young age so they continue to make bad choices when they grow up. I also believe there is something to be said in comfort eating, and eating because you're bored or depressed.

[Rainstorm55]

Ok, thanks for the reply. I'll try doing that.

[Lenin]

Rainstorm,

Your eating plan is good. At 14, you are still growing and although you are not losing a pound you are probably losing FAT and repacing it with muscle and bone. BMI is a bad method of guaging this body change. Using just height and weigh is good for national demographics but almost useless in guaging personal progress.

Keep it up and you'll soon notice the results. They are there but sometimes hard to see without good before and after pictures.

As Kittie said, a more strenuous exercise routine will pay dividends.

Good for you in reconizing a problem early in your life and attacking it head on.

[jcorn59483]

I DO believe that childhood obesity is linked to adult obesity and not just because of "learning bad habits." Fat cells are increased, the pancreas is taxed and there is an upsurge of childhood diabetes which is directly linked to childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity (and I was an obese child, so I know) creates early health risks, including high cholesterol and the possible beginnings of heart disease. It taxes the heart but most children, even obese ones, are young enough to overcome many of the health risks IF they are put on a sensible diet.

Sometimes it is simply a matter of getting the child to exercise more and eat healthier foods but it also takes willpower and a hungry child who is used to eating a lot of food, including junk food, will have to be encouraged to stick with a diet program.

I never could do so as a child. My parents believed a hefty child was a healthy child. Unfortunately