HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

Does My Son's Abdominal Obesity Need Medical Attention?

For the last two months, I notice my 9 year old son's stomach bulging out and his height has remained same at 134 cm. He is active , likes to play outdoor games and plays for about 2 hours everyday. He also spends 2-3 hours on an average in front of TV/ computer everyday.

His food habits are not very healthy, snacks more on biscuits than fruits and tries to avoid vegetables as far as possible, has a craving for sweets, chocolates and icecreams.

Please suggest if my worry around bulging stomach and no change in height needs some medical attention.
Wed, 1 Oct 2014
Report Abuse
Pediatrician,  's  Response
Thanks for asking on HealthCareMagic. When the amount of energy taken in in the form of food is greater than the amount of energy spent, obesity occurs. Childhood obesity is on the rise due to improper lifestyle. The answer is very simple. You would need to control the food habits. What is good for the tongue is generally not good for the body. You would have to counsel the child yourself about this. Try increasing the content of green leafy vegetables.
The next issue to take care of is activity. It is not a problem if he spends a few hours before the TV or computer. But what is needed is that he would need to walk briskly and regularly in the morning along with good amount of playing or exercise. Enrolling him for swimming classes could be a good idea.
You need not worry about the height. It will increase with time if he exercises well.
Get his thyroid profile checked.

I hope that helps. Feel free to revert back in case of further queries if any.
I find this answer helpful

 1 user finds this helpful

1 Doctor agrees with this answer

Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Loading Online Doctors....
Does My Son's Abdominal Obesity Need Medical Attention?

Thanks for asking on HealthCareMagic. When the amount of energy taken in in the form of food is greater than the amount of energy spent, obesity occurs. Childhood obesity is on the rise due to improper lifestyle. The answer is very simple. You would need to control the food habits. What is good for the tongue is generally not good for the body. You would have to counsel the child yourself about this. Try increasing the content of green leafy vegetables. The next issue to take care of is activity. It is not a problem if he spends a few hours before the TV or computer. But what is needed is that he would need to walk briskly and regularly in the morning along with good amount of playing or exercise. Enrolling him for swimming classes could be a good idea. You need not worry about the height. It will increase with time if he exercises well. Get his thyroid profile checked. I hope that helps. Feel free to revert back in case of further queries if any.