Does obesity cause children to slowly gain height?

Overweight or obesity is a condition of excessive fat accumulation in the body, causing negative effects on health. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that this situation is on the rise.

According to standards, a 5-year-old girl has an average weight of 15.8-21.2 kg. Your child is 1.06 m tall and weighs 27 kg, which is overweight. Not all overweight or obese children have height restrictions. However, the height growth process of overweight children is easily affected by the impact of endocrine and musculoskeletal factors.

At first, obese children are often taller than their peers (usually before puberty). The growth rate will then slow down or even stop completely. The cause is that the hormone leptin in fat tissue stimulates early puberty, causing bones to finish their growth process earlier than normal.

Obesity also puts pressure on the skeletal system, causing bone damage and limiting maximum development. Children are at increased risk of lipid disorders, increased cholesterol, leading to atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Children may also have breathing disorders, snoring, and risk of sleep apnea.

In order for children to maintain a reasonable weight and improve overall health, you should build a balanced diet. Children should reduce foods rich in sugar, starch and saturated fat, and increase green vegetables. Encourage your child to participate in age-appropriate physical activities.

If you are worried that your child is overweight, you can take him or her to be examined at the nutrition department of reputable hospitals and nutrition centers. The doctor will review the baby’s condition on the growth chart and family factors. Children can have their body tested for micronutrients using a UPLC high-performance liquid chromatography machine, and measure their body composition with an InBody 770 machine (if necessary) to determine which nutrients are lacking or in excess. Based on that, the doctor advises on appropriate nutrition to help children develop optimally.