Are you concerned about childhood obesity and depression. If you are worried that your child might be suffering from depression due to being overweight it may be a medical issue which needs to be addressed. You should always seek professional medical advice if you are concerned about this. Even if you are concerned that your child is suffering from depression for reasons unrelated to being overweight it is important to seek medical advice.

Unfortunately, childhood obesity and depression go hand in hand. We all know how cruel children can be, even children who are not overweight will be told they are fat and labelled as a ‘fatty’. This is especially true of children who prove themselves sensitive to this type of teasing. It is unfortunate but true that children LIKE pushing one anothers buttons. Even those who hate being teased will tease others because they just don’t grasp the concept of treating other people the way they would like to be treated. If course, if a child is overweight then the taunts they receive increase in frequency and can eventually destroy their self confidence and potentially cause depression.

A depressed child will exhibit many symptoms, including but not limited to; not wanting to play outdoors, binge eating unhealthy foods, not wanting to eat, bursting into tears at the slightest provocation and being overly self conscious. In extreme cases they may even give up the will to live. Older children and teens may even attempt suicide to escape a life they view as unbearable. Even death is a more pleasant prospect than life.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking this kind of issue only affects adults. Yes, it is probably more common in adults but children suffer too. Just look at the suicide rate among teenagers. Sure, the issues and stresses they face may seem so much less important than ours, but they are just as important to THEM! I’m sure you remember situations as a child that mortified you and made you feel really bad. Maybe your supposed best friend tattled a really embarassing secret around the school. Or maybe your love interest boasted to their friends about having sex with you. These situations are majorly upsetting to young people. For an overweight child, the constant attacks on their self esteem can become overwhelming.

So if you are concerned that your child may be depressed they should be seen by a physician or school counsellor who will examine the reasons for their depression. Hopefully they won’t need medication but some children do. Once you’ve dealt with the emotional aspect of the depression you need to address the root cause of the depression. If you don’t address the cause it is like putting a band-aid on a deep cut that requires stitches and expecting it to heal. The same is true for children who are suffering childhood obesity and depression.

Medication is like a band-aid, it addresses the superficial symptoms but until the eating and exercise habits are changed and the weight is lost nothing will change.

If your child is overweight or obese then you have the power to change what they eat. Yes they may be binge eating or a secret eater but you can still make some changes to see the problem changed. Have you ever see the television program ‘You are what you eat’? English nutritionist Gillian McKeith addresses the unhealthy eating habits of obese individuals and families. One of the things Gillian does is to go through the pantry and remove all the unhealthy foods and replace them with healthy foods. This is something you may need to do, remove the processed foods, cakes, cookies, crisps, sweets, chocolates etc until your child has learned to eat and appreciate healthy foods. Doing this will also stop them taking those things secretly, they can’t do that if there is none in the house!

Another benefit of removing junk foods from your childs diet is that it frequently causes a significant improvement in behavior. Here in Australia, there was a primary school in Queensland that banned all sugary and processed foods from the canteen and childrens lunch boxes during school hours. Within one week, almost all behavioral issues in students were resolved, fights, bullying, temper tantrums etc came to a virtual standstill. The children behaved better and focussed better in the classroom and over time the academic results of the school improved. The results of this experiment caused many parents to ban these products in the home also. I know that when my daughter consumes red food coloring she becomes unmanageable, defiant, bad tempered and even aggressive. The reason for these behavioral changes is the artificial additives found in processed foods.

It is also important that you spend time with your child discussing their feelings. They need to know that they can talk to you when they feel negative about a situation and that you will respond constructively to the issue.

Overweight or obese children are more likely to be bullied in the school environment so you may need to discuss the issue with the school principle and your child’s class teacher. If they know about the issue, and know specific children that are being cruel, they can watch for it. Some teachers are more helpful than others. But remember, if the teasing is caused by them being overweight then you need to consult your doctor for help with how to change the eating and exercise habits of your child in order for them to lose weight.

Something else that can help with childhood obesity and depression is to get your child involved in exercise. It may be impossible to motivate them to exercise on their own but if you get involved, go for a walk with them, play wii sports with them, put on a cd and dance with them etc. Anything that will get them up and moving.

Exercise doesn’t only improve fitness and tone muscles, it also releases ENDORPHINS. Endorphins are hormones produced by the brain that reduce pain and improve mood. In effect they are the bodys natural aspirin and anti depressant. Have you ever wondered why when you feel better after you exercise? This is the reason. This fact alone should encourage you to encourage your family to be active.

It is possible to help your depressed children. Here is a summary of the things you can do.

• Seek professional medical advice
• Talk to your child and find out what is making them depressed.
• Help them change their eating habits to lose weight and reduce peer teasing
• Encourage them to exercise as this will stimulate endorphin production and help them lose weight

With your help your child can overcome childhood obesity and depression!

One Response to “Childhood Obesity and Depression”