The relationship between obesity and child malnutrition

There was a time when chubby child was synonymous of healthy child. In a way, there were good reasons for society to believe in this concept. It was a time when there were no antibiotics and it was believed that chubby child was stronger and able to resist infections. In addition, child malnutrition in Brazil was the country's biggest public health problem. In the 1970s, about 30 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 9 years were deficient in height, a strong indicator of long-standing malnutrition in childhood.

Malnutrition is a pathological condition caused by lack of intake or absorption of nutrients. Depending on the severity, the disease can be divided into first, second and third degree. There are very serious cases, the consequences of which may become irreversible, even if the child is still alive. However, malnutrition can be mild and translate, without any record of symptoms, into an inadequate diet.

Obesity is a disease that occurs with excessive accumulation of body fat and has multiple causal factors. Excessive calorie and nutrient imbalance added to the low level of physical activity is the main cause of overweight. It is worth noting that genetic obesity corresponds to a small proportion, representing 5% to 7% of the cases of obesity.

The development of Brazil and the less uneven income distribution in the last decades have brought better life conditions for the population. With better financial conditions, the population began to consume more products and also industrialized foods, favoring what we call nutritional transition. There was a progressive reduction in the prevalence of child malnutrition and elevation, at the same time as overweight and obesity became one of the main public health problems.

According to data from the Family Budget Survey (POF-IBGE), four the prevalence of height deficit in children from 5 to 9 years of age fell, whereas in the last two decades, there was an explosive increase in excess body weight and obesity in this age group. Obesity rates quadrupled among boys (from 4.1% in 1989 to 16.6% in 2009) and girls (from 2.4% in 1989 to 11.8% in 2009).

The accumulation of fat in childhood causes irreversible hormonal changes in hormone metabolism, which increase the risk for concomitant congenital diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and clogging of the arteries. Various types of cancer, orthopedic disorders and decreased respiratory capacity can also be cited as serious consequences of obesity.

Despite being overweight, children are at the same time malnourished. It is a type of malnutrition that is linked to lack of nutrients and not necessarily to food. The nutritional deficiency of overweight / obese children is a consequence of eating habits based on fast foods, snack foods, and snack foods (poor foods). in nutrients important to the proper development of the child) associated with many hours of inactivity.

In addition to the influence of empty calories in diet, recent studies have shown that nutrient deficiency (vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids) of weight and favors even more body fat gain. Micronutrients have a great influence on the increase or decrease of weight, since they participate in energy metabolism and in the secretion and action of insulin among other organic processes.To reverse this picture the change begins at home with the improvement of the eating habits of the whole family. Parents are the first models of behavior for children. The first step is to make balanced meals full of natural and nutrient-rich foods, and regularly practice physical activity. You do not have to put your child in swimming twice a week since he was little. Activity is not always synonymous with sport.

The following are some nutrients that deserve special attention in overweight and obese children:

Iron

Among the most common health problems in childhood , anemia is one of the world's most prevalent deficiencies, especially affecting developing countries. Overweight children also develop iron deficiency anemias. The mechanisms by which obesity and iron deficiency are interconnected are still not fully understood. Low intake and increased iron needs may be the main causes of the shortage.

Iron is a fundamental nutrient for the whole organism and participates in vital processes such as the transport of oxygen. One commonly reported symptom in iron deficiency is fatigue. The feeling of fatigue and low energy impact on well-being and impair the cognitive functions of memory and learning of the child. Iron sources are meats, seafood, nuts, nuts, beans, seeds and dark green leaflets.

Zinc

Rapidly growing periods, such as in childhood and adolescence, are particularly more vulnerable to dietary zinc deficiency. Studies report the occurrence of deficiency of this mineral in overweight / obese children. The low concentration of zinc can be caused by some factors: high consumption of foods rich in calcium (milk and dairy products) or simply by the low intake of foods containing zinc. Zinc is an essential mineral for growth and development. It also helps maintain the immune system to fight infectious diseases. In addition, zinc deficiency can further increase fat deposition and reduce body mass, favoring sedentary lifestyle and weight gain. Thus, it is necessary to ingest food sources of zinc such as meats, seafood, poultry, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, nuts and nuts.

Calcium

Obese children have a high prevalence of calcium deficiency. The lack of this mineral in childhood can impair growth and lead to osteoporosis in adulthood. Consumption of refrigerant, mainly cola, is one of the main reasons for the reduction of calcium in children's diets. Soft drinks are rich in caffeine, sodium, and phosphorus that decrease the amount of this substance in the body by blocking the action of calcium and increasing its elimination through the urine. According to US research, 57% of children between four and six years of age ingest less calcium than necessary. Good sources of calcium are: sardines, broccoli, dairy, pumpkin seed, flaxseed, sesame seed, dark green leaflets.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A deficiency is considered a serious problem and according to the World Health Organization, about 2.8 million pre-school children worldwide are clinically affected by hypovitaminosis A. Severe deficiency of this vitamin usually occurs in underweight children with malnutrition, but milder forms of disability may be seen in overweight children. The causes of vitamin A deficiency are the inadequate intake of vitamin A and the infectious outbreaks that consume the vitamin by the immune system. Products of animal origin are sources of vitamin A, while yellow and red fruits and vegetables are sources of pro- vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Studies show the occurrence of low consumption and reduced blood levels of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) in adults and also in obese children and adolescents. It is known that this deficiency is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Good sources of vitamin E are vegetable oils such as olive oil and canola oil and seeds such as flaxseed, pumpkin and sunflower.

Vitamin C

Overweight children generally have poor diet in fruits and vegetables, major natural sources of vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is an important micronutrient for the proper growth and development of the child. It participates in good digestive functioning, immune system and skeleton formation, among other functions.

Essential fatty acids

Overweight / obese children are not in the habit of consuming fatty fish, oilseeds (such as nuts, nuts, peanuts and pistachios) and seeds (such as sunflower, flaxseed, chia and pumpkin), which are sources of fats important to the nervous and immune system. In childhood its effects are being studied and positive effects have already been observed in bronchial asthma, neuropsychiatric disorders and cerebral dysfunctions. Some essential fatty acids such as omega 3 are able to improve the action of insulin and in their deficiency these beneficial effects are reduced.

Vitamin D

Children are not taking as much sun as they should, they no longer do activities in the Street. The sedentary lifestyle makes children stay in the sun less time and possibly this is one reason why obese people have low levels of vitamin D in their blood. Vitamin D can be produced by the body itself by exposure to UV rays and diet occupies a low portion in the vitamin's daily needs. This vitamin acts in several areas of the body, and its most known effects are to potentiate the action of calcium in the bones and build up for the body's defenses. But the relationship between vitamin D and obesity has not yet been fully elucidated. It is believed that vitamin D deficiency can, among other factors, be caused by the high demand of this vitamin in the inflammatory process caused by excess body fat, since obesity is a disease that generates inflammation in the body. some bad habits that contribute to the weight gain of the child:

Do not have fixed times to feed and "pinch" throughout the day. It is in meals that the child acquires the main nutrients for their proper development. In addition, pinching generally means consuming non-nutritious foods such as snack foods and sweets.

Long periods of fasting. Hunger and appetite increase and the child ends up eating more.

Make a few meals during the day and in large volumes. The volume of the stomach can increase and also the amount of food that the child can eat.

• Sleep late and wake up late. The sun and night act in our metabolism and change the times to which the body has been programmed genetically, can modify in a negative way the control of satiety, body fat deposition among others.

• Not having a good night's sleep. The usual deprivation of a regenerative sleep leads to hormonal changes important for the control of the child's weight. Substances that stimulate the appetite are produced in greater quantity, whereas the secretion of substances that increase the satiety is reduced. This results in more hunger, less satiety and less control over the intake of sweets. In addition, the child becomes more sleepy and tired to practice physical activity, reducing his caloric expenditure and feeling of well-being.

• Do not eat for breakfast. The child will compensate during the day or at night, and usually with well-calorie options.

• Change to meals for snack. Eating only snacks does not meet all the child's nutritional needs.

• Eat in front of the television, video game and other electronics. It is necessary to value the moment of the meals. Eating without paying attention to what you eat leads to eating more food than necessary.

• Do not exercise. The sedentary lifestyle promotes poor eating habits and accumulation of body fat.

• Do not portion food.

• To have a packet of cookies, popcorn, or toast to eat, without determining an individual portion, promotes the consumption of more food.

• Have a cupboard filled with sweets and snacks within reach of the child. When free access to "bullshit" is part of the child's routine, it is difficult for her to know the limit to not gain weight and not to exaggerate.

• Just drink fruit juices instead of eating the fruits. By eating the fruit in natura the body receives a greater supply of fibers, which associated with chewing, favors satiety. The release of sugar into the bloodstream occurs more slowly compared to the intake of the juice, holding the energy for longer. In addition, to prepare a good juice, larger portions of the fruit are needed, which makes it more caloric.

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