Right Parenting - Childhood Obesity

Yes, worldwide the number of fat and overweight people is increasing and this problem of ‘Obesity’ is fast becoming a major health problem. Childhood obesity is an important part of that equation. Experts estimate that in USA, 15% of kids are overweight and another 15% are at risk of becoming overweight. And two thirds of these overweight kids will become overweight adults.

Reasons for childhood obesity

Genetic factors, lifestyle habits, or both play their part in making children fat. In some instances, hormonal problems, genetic syndromes and medications can be associated with excessive weight gain.

Parental attitude of wanting ‘chubby’ babies and equating ‘heavy’ babies to ‘healthy’ babies is often the first unwanted influence in this respect. From the early months, unhealthy dietary habits like foregoing breast-feeding; excessive reliance on bottle-feeding and readymade baby-foods; and feeding large portions of food start to come into picture. Later on the dietary habits go on further deteriorating with lack of fruits/vegetables and undue importance to ‘unessential’ foods like cakes, chocolates, chips, colas, donuts and ice-creams. Instead of feeding fresh, home-cooked food, often fast-foods and pre-packaged foods are given. Portion sizes, in the home and out, have drastically increased.

Increasingly insecure social environment has ensured that now, children spend more time couped up at home than actively playing outside. Playing with electronic devices (computers and handheld video games) and watching television have become main activities. More and more schools are cutting Physical Education programs altogether or cutting down on the amount of time spent actually doing fitness-building physical activities. One study showed that gym classes offered third graders just 25 minutes of vigorous activity each week. This serious lack of physical activity is equally or perhaps even more important than the wrong food habits in making today’s children fat.

Dangers of childhood obesity

Overweight children are at risk of developing medical problems that affect a child's present and future health and have direct impact on quality of life. Such children are more prone to serious medical problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abnormal blood lipid levels, Type 2 diabetes, liver and gall bladder disease and bone and joint problems. Respiratory problems like shortness of breath limiting physical activity and increased chances of developing asthma and disturbed sleep patterns are also seen in such kids. Overweight kids may be taller and more sexually mature than their peers, raising expectations that they should act as old as they look, not as old as they are. Overweight girls may have irregular menstrual cycles and have fertility problems in adulthood.

Equally important are the psychological implications. Overweight children often face isolation and ridicule from their peers. This can result in serious depression. Such children can develop food-related psychological problems like anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body Mass Index or BMI is an important tool to diagnose the weight problems. BMI is defined as the individual’s body weight (in kg) divided by the square of their height (in meters). .

BMI = Weight (kg)/height (in square metres)

In adults, BMI under 18.5 is considered underweight; between 18.5 and 25 is normal; between 25 and 30 is overweight and above 30 is obese.

In children, the BMI calculation takes into account their age and sex. There are age-and-sex based percentile charts for BMI, which give good idea about the weight problems. On these charts, less than 5th percentile is underweight; 5th to 85th percentile is healthy weight; 85th to 95th percentile is ‘At Risk Of Overweight’ and above 95th percentile is ‘Overweight’.

Strategies to counter obesity

A) Good Food Habits:

Breast-feeding in infancy.
Avoid or limit bottle-feeding.
Give home-cooked fresh foods-rather than readymade processed foods.
Give smaller portions of food. Don’t be obsessed by the worry over how much your child eats.
Use plenty of fruits and vegetables in food.
Limit fast foods and unessential foods. Try to achieve a balanced diet.
While eating out in restaurants choose the right type of food (e.g. Grilled foods rather than fried foods) and use smaller portions.

B) Increased Physical Activity

Encourage play activities like athletics, swimming, cycling, outdoor games (football, cricket) and indoor games (squash, badminton) which burn out the accumulated calories.
Limit the indoor idle time in front of computer and TV screens.
Make sure that the school’s physical education programme is adequate to keep your kids active.
Group physical activities (martial arts, gymnasium, yoga) are suitable for older children.

C) Parental Role Model

Don’t equate weight of your child with his health!
Don’t force food if the child doesn’t want to eat.
Don’t use food as an object of reward or punishment.
Parents’ habits are often picked up either consciously or unconsciously by the children and that’s why it becomes imperative that parents should make an extra effort to employ the good food habits and exercise routine themselves.
If managing an obese child’s diet, make sure that entire family participates as a unit in that diet plan.

Related Links