Full Answer Section

Risks

There are a number of risks associated with being overweight or obese in childhood. These include:

• Increased risk of chronic diseases: As mentioned above, overweight children are more likely to develop chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
• Social and emotional challenges: Overweight children may be teased or bullied, and they may have low self-esteem.
• Psychological problems: Overweight children may be more likely to develop psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
• Sleep apnea: Overweight children are more likely to develop sleep apnea, a condition that can disrupt sleep and lead to daytime fatigue.
• Joint problems: Overweight children are more likely to develop joint problems such as arthritis.

Gathering information sensitively

When gathering information about a child’s weight, it is important to be sensitive to the child’s and family’s feelings. It is important to avoid making judgments or criticizing the child’s weight. Instead, focus on gathering information in a non-judgmental way.

One way to gather information sensitively is to ask open-ended questions. For example, you could ask the child’s parents or caregivers about their child’s diet, physical activity level, and family history. You could also ask the child about his or her own thoughts and feelings about his or her weight.

Questions to ask

Here are three specific questions you could ask about the child to gather more information:

• What is your child’s usual diet?
• How active is your child on a typical day?
• How does your child feel about his or her weight?

Strategies to encourage parents or caregivers

There are a number of strategies you could employ to encourage the parents or caregivers to be proactive about their child’s health and weight. These include:

• Provide them with information about the health risks of being overweight or obese.
• Help them to develop a plan to improve their child’s diet and physical activity level.
• Encourage them to talk to their child about his or her weight in a positive and supportive way.
• Refer them to resources that can help them to support their child’s weight loss.

It is important to be patient and supportive when working with parents or caregivers. It may take time for them to make changes, but with your help, they can help their child to improve his or her health and weight.