>> Childhood obesity impacts
one in 5 children and teens in
the U.S.. According to the CDC
health reporter Haley Hernandez
is with us this morning.
She’s been digging into the
reason why and the extreme
measures that some are taking
to reverse it.
>> So doctor Manish Kumar
season patients in a medically
underserved part of Houston.
And he says that child obesity
rates are even higher than the
national average in his
practice. The problem is
compounded during the summer
when kids are home and can lead
to lifelong problems.
>> Nobody is denying kids today
have a different feel. Sorry
for 6 kids. You know, you look
around the children today and,
you know, to see that the
Democrats is so prevalent, the
lack of breathing issues, heart
issues. Doctor Manish Kumar in
southwest Houston says 30% of
his patients as young as 3
years old are facing weight
related problems.
>> One of the ones that we deal
with on a day-to-day basis.
Snoring when your heavier than
you should be, you’re more
likely to snore. And when you
snore increases the strain on
your heart, these kids have
more mood, attention, focus
and behavior issues. But in the
long run, they have a much
higher lifetime risk of high
blood pressure and heart
attacks and strokes.
>> It’s well known not to eat
junk food. So the solution is
more complicated than that.
>> There could be psychological
factors, cultural factors,
access to food. We see a lot
that kids eat what they can get
their hands on.
>> Well, what age do you see
this becoming up problem very
early in life. I would say as
soon as children that might
be formula or breast milk fat.
>> Are we in from either or
both of those? We start to see
very poor lifestyle and
dietary habits. That’s one
years old. He will tell you
there are parts of the
developing world. 3rd world
countries where sodas like
Coca-Cola in particular, it was
safer to drink than water.
Well, that initiates a cascade
of unhealthy weight gain and
drives your physiological need
for more calories.
>> So does the side. He says
all have, but starting in
childhood have the potential
to last a lifetime, which is
why he coaches families on
time. Management, healthy food
choices and weight loss
strategies. But most adults in
children’s lives are working,
sometimes working 2 jobs, not
meal planning. We asked several
parents and most agree you go
for what’s fast.
>> Convenience and time.
>> Any time that we take the
kids to a fast food. Usually
it’s because something happened
and we couldn’t make them
yourselves time. you know,
trying to keep up with so
things.
>> We live in hustle, culture
and now the need for some kids
to lose weight is more urgent
than taking time to fix bad
habits in some extreme cases.
Doctor Kumar recommends
surgery. The number of youth
tended 19 having metabolic and
bariatric surgeries has been
rising and jumped 19% between
2020 2021.
>> It’s not encouraged, but
it’s an option. As our diet
pills.
>> We don’t convention. We turn
diet pills in children for the
purpose of weight management.
We use so-called diet pills for
the purpose of addressing
underlying metabolic problems.
>> For local parents who never
want to be faced with that
choice. They say the topic of
weight is one they will
address.
>> And see what are some
healthy options. What are the
bad happens? Said I have see if
I can break some of those bad
habits.
>> Pinpoint where the problem
is coming from and then who did
they talk to? If we’re talking
about people who already don’t
have a lot of access to good
resources, where can they go?
>> Go to your physician, your
pediatrician code. You’re good.
You’re family practice. Doctor.
>> And the eating recovery
Center of Houston who deals
with eating disorders. They say
children should be left out
of the conversation. Leave the
room while parents and
pediatricians discuss obesity.
So it’s not too psychologically
damaged. The child. But then on
the flip side, Doctor Kumar
says that kids need to be in
the room. Part of the
conversation and a part of
their own health journey
approaching it from a health
point instead of a, you know,
a cosmetic, right? Yeah.
>> You know, sensitive to
weather its overweight or how
they’re viewed. But to
understand the importance right
to science, what’s going on in
the body? Yeah.
>> Yeah. Reach 4. Tried to
reach for yeah. And by the way,
the eating recovery center’s
like totally against surgery.
But we see that the American
Academy of Pediatrics has now
flipped their viewpoint on
that, too. And they now do
recommended for the kids and
teens in extreme cases yet.
Alright, and he’ll have more
coming up at 7. Yeah, we’ll
talk at 7.15 about this topic