If your child has been steadily gaining weight, you may want to start monitoring what he’s been eating, as a study from the Ohio State University and the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the US has shown that gradual obesity can cause pain in his lower extremities.

Gathering data from 175 obese children, researchers found that although 124 participants were in no pain whatsoever, the remaining 51 reported experiencing discomfort in their hips, legs, knees, ankles, and feet. MedicalNewsToday.com reports that they also scored lower on physical function and psychosocial health than the 124 who felt nothing out of the ordinary. What is alarming is that as children become more obese, their physical and psychosocial health also deteriorate faster.

According to the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, juvenile obesity has tripled in the past thirty years, causing the development of metabolic diseases during what are supposedly the healthy growing years of children. As a parent, it’s important to always be vigilant about your child’s health. Encourage him to eat healthy and to engage in a sport that he enjoys. Also, be a good example by living a clean lifestyle. When your child sees that you prioritize taking care of your health, he'll most likely follow suit.

(Screencap from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)