Understanding Childhood obesity

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Many of children now ranging from 6 to 19 years old are suffering from obesity but the didn’t notice it because of their young mind, they thought its natural, they thought they are healthy, but the truth is they are obese, the parents should be the one to know it and the one to fight for the obesity of their child. 

Balance is key in helping your child maintain a healthy weight. Balance the calories your child eats and drinks with the calories used through physical activity and normal growth.

Childhood obesity is almost always a result of a number of factors working together to increase risk. These include:

• Diet: Unhealthy lunch options and regular consumption of high-calorie foods, like fast food, cookies and other baked goods, soda, candy, chips and vending machine snacks contribute to weight gain.
• Lack of physical activity: Computers, television, and video games conspire to keep kids inside and sedentary, which means they burn fewer calories and are more likely to gain weight.
• Environment: If a child opens up the refrigerator or kitchen cabinets and is greeted by bags of chips, candy bars and microwave pizza, then that’s likely what they will eat.
• Psychological factors: Like adults, some kids may turn to food as a coping mechanism for dealing with problems or negative emotions like stress, anxiety, or boredom. Children struggling to cope with a divorce or death in the family may eat more as a result.
• Genetics: If your child was born into a family of overweight people, he/she may be genetically predisposed to the condition, especially if high-calorie food is readily available and physical activity is not encouraged.
• Medical conditions: Though not common, there are certain genetic diseases and hormonal disorders that can predispose a child to obesity, like in adult it also affect to child, such as
• hypothyroidism, (when the thyroid gland, located in the neck just below the voice box, is under-active and does not release enough of the hormones that control metabolism),
• Prader-Willi syndrome (a genetic disorder affecting the part of the brain that controls feelings of hunger)
• And Cushing's syndrome (a disorder in which your body is exposed too much of the hormone cortisol from overproduction in the adrenal glands or use of medications such as those for asthma).
• Sleep: kids who sleep less than the recommended amount of about 13 hours a day at age 2 are more likely to be obese at age 7. One reason: Fatigue alters the levels of appetite-regulating hormones

How to prevent child obesity?

• Gradually work to change family eating habits and activity levels rather than focusing on weight.
• Be a role model. Parents who eat healthy foods and are physically activity set an example that increases the likelihood their children will do the same.
• Encourage physical activity. Children should have an hour of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
• Encourage children to eat only when hungry, and to eat slowly.
• Avoid using food as a reward or withholding food as a punishment.
• Keep the refrigerator stocked with fat-free or low-fat milk and fresh fruit and vegetables instead of soft drinks and snacks high in sugar and fat.
• Encourage children to drink water rather than beverages with added sugar, such as soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juice drinks.
• Establish daily meal and snack times, and eating together as frequently as possible.
• Make a wide variety of healthful foods available based on the Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children. Determine what food is offered and when, and let the child decide whether and how much to eat.
• Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV. Eating in front of the TV may make it difficult to pay attention to feelings of fullness and may lead to overeating.
• Buy fewer high-calories, low-nutrient foods. Help children understand that sweets and high-fat treats (such as candy, cookies, or cake) are not everyday foods.
• Plan healthy snacks at specific times. Include two food groups, for example, apple wedges and whole grain crackers.
• Focus on maximum nutrition - fruits, vegetables, grains, low-sugar cereals, low fat dairy products, and lean meats and meat alternatives.
• Avoid excessive amounts of fruit juices, which contain calories, but fewer nutrients than the fruits they come from.
• Encourage physical activity. Participate in family physical activity time on a regular basis, such as walks, bike rides, hikes, and active games.
• Encourage healthy eating habits. Small changes can lead to a recipe for success! Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole-grain products.
• Make favorite dishes healthier. Some of your favorite recipes can be healthier with a few changes.
• Help your kids understand the benefits of being physically active. Teach them that physical activity has great health benefits like: Strengthening bone decreasing blood pressure Reducing stress and anxiety increasing self-esteem helping with weight management
• Help kids stay active. Children and teens should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week and every day if possible.

The success of the child is on the parents, when we should support our children?

Young people generally become overweight or obese because they don’t get enough physical activity in combination with poor eating habits. Genetics and lifestyle also contribute to a child’s weight status. The longer a person is obese, the more significant obesity-related risk factors become.

Source: Dep. of Health. NY.  PARENTING. StanfordMedicine. HEARTORG