Childhood Obesity - Lifestyle, Hormones & Parents | ESI SCALE Podcast #6 | Ft. Dr Krishna G Seshadri

Why Is My Child Gaining Weight? Lifestyle, Hormones & Childhood Obesity | ESI SCALE Podcast #6 Childhood obesity is not simply about “eating too much” or “moving too little.” It is a complex health issue influenced by food environment, physical activity, sleep, screen habits, family patterns, mental well-being, medications, and less commonly - specific hormonal or genetic disorders. In ESI SCALE Podcast #6, we discuss an important question for parents, teachers, adolescents, and healthcare professionals: What is the role of lifestyle management and hormones in childhood obesity? This public education conversation explores: ✅ Why childhood obesity needs empathy, not blame ✅ How food habits, physical activity, sleep and screen time influence weight ✅ When should parents suspect an underlying hormonal problem? ✅ Are thyroid disorders commonly responsible for obesity? ✅ Why growth pattern and height velocity matter ✅ How families can make realistic, sustainable lifestyle changes ✅ Why early identification of complications is important ✅ How schools, parents and healthcare teams can work together ✅ Why stigma, teasing and body shaming can worsen the problem ✅ When specialist evaluation by a pediatrician or endocrinologist may be needed Speakers Dr Krishna G Seshadri Editor-In-Charge, Thyroid Research and Practice Immediate Past President, Indian Thyroid Society Senior Consultant Endocrinologist Apollo Hospitals, Chennai Dr Mohan T Shenoy Executive Committee Member, Endocrine Society of India Senior Consultant Endocrinologist Trivandrum Presented by Pediatric Endocrinology Taskforce, Endocrine Society of India Part of the SCALE initiative - School Health Awareness Campaign for Lifestyle & Endocrine Education. 💡 Take-home message: A child with obesity needs understanding, scientific assessment and family-centred support - not blame. Lifestyle remains the foundation, while hormonal evaluation should be guided by the child’s clinical features and growth pattern. ⚠️ Disclaimer: This video is intended for public education and does not replace individual medical consultation. Children with rapid weight gain, poor height growth, delayed or early puberty, excessive thirst or urination, severe snoring, or other concerning symptoms should be assessed by an appropriate healthcare professional. Hashtags #ESISCALE #ESIPodcast #EndocrineSocietyOfIndia #ChildhoodObesity #PediatricObesity #ChildHealth #HealthyLifestyle #Hormones #PediatricEndocrinology #ObesityAwareness #FamilyHealth #HealthyChildren #SchoolHealth #LifestyleMedicine #Nutrition #PhysicalActivity #SleepHealth #ScreenTime #Thyroid #GrowthAndPuberty #ParentEducation #PublicHealth #Endocrinology #SCALEESI