Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Childhood obesity a growing concern

Obesity in children is becoming a huge problem for we parents today. This is a serious issue and needs to be handled immediately as this condition is affecting our children and creating huge health hazards for them. Obesity in children has seen a sharp rise in the last few years and this condition is not getting any better, we have every child specialist emphasizing on the importance of watching what your child eats, as today every other child is obese. Obesity is when your child is double or at least a few kilograms more than their normal weight in comparison to their height and age.

Why do we need to worry about obesity now? As obesity in childhood has shown a connection leading to health issues in future; health scares like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and breathing related issues. Obesity can also lead to psychological disorders among children as it can lead to low self estem and self confidence. Child obesity is a disease and we have to work towards putting an end to it.


Obesity in children can be controlled by improving their eating habits, time and again I have emphasized that a mother needs to eat healthy food so that the child is healthy, as this obesity can be noticed from day 1. A mother who has eaten junk food all throughout her pregnancy will have a baby with low birth weight and if the mother has bad eating habits her child will learn the same and have the same eating habits and sooner or later become a victim to child obesity. 


Our children stay a lot indoors, television, I pads, computers, laptops, play stations, video games are all responsible for keeping the child indoors. Keep a time limit for it makes it compulsory for your child to go and play outdoor physical activities at least for a hour a day and if not at least on the weekends. Physical activities like running, swimming, skating and playing tennis must be included in their curriculum make sure your child does at least one physical activity every week to keep them fit and strong.


Stop buying junk food like wafers, chips, fried foods, candies, chocolates and creamy donuts completely. As it is when your child is out they eat junk food, at home completely stop their intake of these fried and sugary foods. Buy healthy food snacks and encourage them to snack on fruits rather than chips. Make sure you kid drinks at least 2 glasses of milk daily and that should be enforced. Even for drinks encourage them to pick up fresh fruit juices or smoothies or coconut water instead of sodas or colas. A child always ape's their parent if your child see's you eating healthy food they will too be inclined to healthy eating. 

So first improve your food habits and lifestyle then only you can bring about a change in your child. On weekends make it a family activity to go for a swim or cycling or for a morning jog make it a fun time. Also make sure if you are taking your child out  for lunch or dinner choose a healthy food option like a salad bar or a an Italian restaurant or even a Chinese or an Indian restaurant would do instead of a burger or a junk food joint. Every meal must consist of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and all this comes from fresh home cooked meals. Eating healthy and living an active life is the only mantra to good health for you and your family.
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