Childhood Obesity – Everything to Know About It

Childhood obesity is well-documented as a risk factor for adult obesity and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in later life. However, due to a scarcity of well-conducted nationwide research and a lack of agreement in the cut-points used to identify childhood overweight and obesity, the issue’s prevalence among children and adolescents in India is unknown. In India, childhood obesity has become a public health crisis.

The phrase overweight refers to having too much body weight for one’s height. In contrast, obesity refers to having too much body fat for one’s size.

Overweight and obesity are primarily caused by factors including excessive calorie intake, insufficient physical exercise, or both. Furthermore, various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors play a role in the disease’s development and progression. The result of metabolic syndrome in childhood is a precursor to poor physical health, mental illnesses, respiratory issues, and glucose intolerance in adulthood, all of which can be traced back to childhood.

Countries in developing countries, such as India, have a unique challenge known as the ‘double burden,’ where obesity in children and adolescents is on one end of the spectrum while malnutrition and underweight are on the other end.

Childhood Obesity Has Several Root Causes:

The primary cause of childhood obesity is a mismatch between the number of calories consumed and the amount of energy expended by the child. Obesity is a hereditary trait that Indians are inclined to. Nonetheless, environmental factors are a significant contributor to the rapid increase in childhood obesity. Food preferences shift from traditional to modern foods that are high in fat and sugar due to increased economic affluence. As a result of urbanization, sedentary lifestyles are becoming more prevalent, and physical activity levels are declining.

Obesity in childhood has negative health consequences:

Obesity in children has significant consequences on their health. Obese children have a higher risk of developing hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, high cholesterol and triglycerides, coronary heart disease, respiratory issues, stroke, emotional disorder, and some malignancies than normal-weight children. Two out of every three obese children will continue to be obese as adults, increasing their risk of developing adult lifestyle diseases. India is expected to overtake the United States as the world’s diabetes capital.

Obesity in Children: What Can Be Done?

According to the World Health Organization, childhood obesity is one of the most critical public health concerns facing the world in the twenty-first century. Childhood obesity must be prevented at all costs, especially given that obesity is exceedingly difficult to treat once it has occurred. Obesity prevention measures that have been proven and are simple to implement include:

  • Increase your diet of fruits and vegetables.
  • They are reducing the amount of time spent watching television. Eating while watching television is a significant contributor to excessive food intake. Children are influenced by television advertising to eat fast food.
  • One should reduce sugar consumption. The consumption of water rather than sugary beverages is advocated.
  • As a result of limited time and academic constraints, it isn’t easy to encourage children to lead active lives. Parents must encourage their children to participate in physical activity, especially in the early years, and engage in 60 minutes of intense daily physical activity in older children.

Parents as Children’s Role Models: How Can We Help?

  • Children can watch what their parents eat! To eat more healthfully, one should consume more fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. 
  • It is recommended to reduce the amount of fat consumed and shift the proportion of saturated fats consumed to unsaturated fats. 
  • Skimmed milk is substituted for whole milk in the milk supply. 
  • The consumption of fresh meals is encouraged. 
  • Fast foods are high in sugar, fat, and sodium and should only be consumed on special occasions or weekends. 
  • Snacking is one of the most common causes of excessive calorie intake. Healthy snack selections should be readily available to youngsters as they get older.

Healthy mealtime habits are instilled in children from an early age. Forced, enticed, or pressured feeding frequently results in poor self-control and obesity. Parents must make sure that their children eat only when hungry, rather than when they are bored or exhausted. One should avoid food as a reward at all costs.

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