Childhood obesity is increasing where any child whose body mass index (BMI) is significantly higher than others children of his age and sex, is called obese. According to the World Health Organization, while less than 1% of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were obese in 1975, more than 124 million (6% of girls and 8% of boys) were in 2016. .

Hidden dangers of childhood obesity:

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Abhishek Chopra, consultant neonatologist and pediatrician at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals in New Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh, revealed, “The global rise in childhood obesity is driven by greater physical inactivity and an unlimited supply of unhealthy processed foods, ready to eat high-calorie foods that, unfortunately, children don’t like as much as they like them. When a child becomes obese, it is because of a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors such as socioeconomic status, education level, basal metabolic rate, diet and lifestyle. life.

He noted: “Childhood obesity is associated with problems with high blood pressure, blood lipids and blood sugar and these problems extend into adulthood. This combination of factors is in turn linked to damage to the arteries and heart, which can be reversed through exercise in children, but much less so in adults. Obese children are five times more likely to become obese adults than their healthy-weight peers. Childhood is a window of opportunity to fight obesity before the damage it causes is irreversible. Compared to children with a low body mass index (BMI), those with a high BMI are 40% more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease in midlife. Children with a combination of risk factors, including smoking and elevated BMI, blood pressure and blood lipids, are at two to nine times higher risk of heart attack and stroke in midlife.

How to protect your child’s future:

According to Dr. Abhishek Chopra, school-aged youth should get at least 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity. He suggested: “In addition, muscle strengthening activities should be done at least three times a week. Sedentary time, especially screen time, should be limited. Regarding diet, children should eat an adequate breakfast, avoid eating between meals, eat three meals and no more than two snacks per day, limit portion sizes, avoid foods high in energy and low in nutrients such as fruit juices or fast food, increase their consumption. of unprocessed fruits, vegetables and fiber-rich grains, and reduced consumption of fats and sugars.

A range of policies and actions are needed to end obesity and its associated problems. Physical activity and nutrition are at the heart of these priorities. Dr. Abhishek Chopra said policymakers should:

• Promote physical activity and raise awareness of the need to reduce sedentary time
• Encourage healthy eating habits
• Providing dietary advice and psychological support for behavior change
• Reduce marketing of unhealthy foods in media and social networks
• Promote parenting styles that encourage physical activity and healthy eating
• Avoid stigma
• Involve schools, family and friends in educational programs
• Increase the availability and accessibility of healthy foods
• Providing playgrounds and green spaces to be physically active in urban environments.

Dr Abhishek Chopra said: “Policies to stop cardiovascular disease later in life must go beyond just telling young people to exercise and eat a healthy diet. If there is no space to enjoy physical activity and nutritious foods are unavailable or unaffordable, it is very difficult to change behavior. Some children will benefit from psychological support to understand which habits are problematic and how to develop new ones. And instead of criticizing kids for being inactive and eating junk food, schools and parents can show that being physically active and preparing healthy foods is fun.

He further recommended: “Schools should take the lead in providing healthy school meals, cooking classes, education on nutrition and physical activity, and sports clubs. Family and friends should be invited to participate, as both have an influence on the child’s lifestyle and weight. Most children are exposed to the promotion and marketing of products such as fast food and sugary drinks up to around 200 times per week on social media. The marketing of unhealthy food and drinks should be minimized or even banned, particularly in schools, as it influences children’s behavior.”

We must avoid stigmatizing overweight and obese children as this could push them towards eating disorders and inactivity. Dr Abhishek Chopra concluded: “At the school level, for example, all children and families can benefit from prevention strategies, from healthy lunch to active breaks. Prevention of cardiovascular disease must start early. Rather than waiting and seeing whether or not today’s obese children will become tomorrow’s heart attacks and strokes, an action plan is needed now to stop future health problems. We already know that obesity harms children’s health.”

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have regarding a health problem.