Can’t lose weight by eating less and exercising more? Thyroid abnormality in a 10-year-old child

Attention people who are trying to lose weight! Doctors point out that if you have been strictly controlling your diet and exercising enough, but your weight still does not reach the ideal standard, it is likely that there is a problem with your thyroid gland. A 10-year-old boy, under the supervision of his parents, ate less and exercised more over the past two years, but he still gained 10 kilograms. After diagnosis, I found out that I had "subclinical hypothyroidism", which affected my thyroid function and caused my weight to get out of control.

Pan Junshen, chief physician of the pediatric department at Rongxin Clinic, said that if strict dietary control has been implemented and adequate exercise has been taken but the weight still does not reach the ideal standard, it is likely that there is a problem with the thyroid gland. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

Pan Junshen, chief physician of the pediatric department of Rongxin Clinic, said that after examination, it was found that the little brother had high thyroid-stimulating hormone, but normal thyroid hormone, and high total cholesterol and triglycerides. He explained that thyroid stimulating hormone is located in the pituitary gland and is responsible for telling the thyroid gland how much thyroid hormone to secrete. When the stimulating hormone rises, it means that the body is constantly indicating that thyroid hormone is insufficient. However, if the thyroid hormone index shows normal, it is a warning sign that the body is suffering from "subclinical hypothyroidism."

Patients with "subclinical hypothyroidism" due to elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone may have their basal metabolic rate reduced by about 15%. This is often discovered accidentally during a blood test for thyroid function, and it is usually difficult to specifically identify the cause. Because thyroid hormone can promote the decomposition and oxidation of fat and protein in many tissues, increase oxygen consumption and generate heat for the body, patients with thyroid dysfunction usually do not have good results in losing weight through exercise.

Adults with subclinical hypothyroidism may experience fatigue, weakness, drowsiness, constipation, weight gain, edema, pale or yellow skin, slow metabolism, fear of cold, slow heart rate, and even heart enlargement. It may happen to children, such as growth retardation, poor development, short stature, or even delayed intellectual development. Studies have even found that "subclinical hypothyroidism" may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and patients should appropriately supplement thyroid hormone to lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

If people think they are overweight and want to lose weight, they are advised to consult a doctor first. However, if eating less and exercising more does not produce any results, you need to see a doctor for diagnosis and examination, including blood sugar, blood fat, thyroid function and related hormones, to find out the factors that make it difficult to control your weight, so as to avoid wasting time and effort.