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Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels across the world. A couple of decades ago people, children, and adults, with obesity were the exception – you hardly saw anyone who was overweight, let alone obese. These days, the situation has changed completely.
Figures by the World Health Organization put the number of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years who wereoverweight in 2022 at over 390 million, including 160 million who were living with obesity.
The definition of obesity and overweight has changed over time, but in simple terms, it’s excess body fat. There is no agreement on the exact level of fat that qualifies as overweight or obesity in children and adolescents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Preventiondefines obesity for children as having a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex. In other words, if a child’s weight places them in the top 5% of their age and sex group, they are considered to be obese. BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.
If you have a child who struggles with obesity, this article will help you understand how it may have arisen and what you can do to help your child overcome the condition. It's imperative that you attempt to do this so you can help your child avoid any devastating consequences of obesity.
Childhood obesity can havea profound adverse effect on a child's life. It does not only affect a child's physical health but also their social and emotional well-being.
It’s because these children are often teased and bullied about their weight. They are often discriminated against and excluded from activities and social events, leading to low self-esteem, lack of confidence, and a negative body image - all of which can affect academic performance.
Since the explosion of childhood obesityin 1990, children have developed medical conditions that were previously found only among adults and not children,including
In short, the consequences of overweight and obesity can be devastating for children.
Genetics, a slow metabolism, family background, and a range of environmental considerations have been identified as factors in childhood obesity.But the main cause of childhood obesity is a combination of eating too much and not being active enough.
Obesity is the result of extra calories stored in the body as fat. If a child eats calorie-dense food, such as food high in sugar or fat, and doesn't burn the calories through physical activity, over time, those calories will be stored in the body as fat.
Fast foods such as hamburgers, French fries, hot dogs, and pizza are highly processed. These contain artificial preservatives, flavorings, saturated fats, refined grains, and sugars. All these are convenient, high in calories, and nutrient-poor. Fast food meals are often accompanied bysoft drinks which are high in sugar and a leading contributor to obesity.
A diet with a high percentage of fast food tends to result in weight gain.
Convenience foods also play a role. In today's society, both parents work, so there's little time for grocery shopping, planning healthy meals, and cooking. The result is many families depend on prepared frozen dinners, canned pasta, and so forth for their dinners. These foods can also lead to unnecessary weight gain.
Digital screens don’t cause weight gain directly, but indirectly. From a very young age, children are exposed to smartphones, tablets, and computers. A sad reality of modern life is that children are fascinated by these devices and would rather spend their time glued to a digital screen than running and playing outside. Urban environments that don't offer a safe park or garden to explore and play in contribute to children not being active enough and putting on weight.
Some children with obese biological parents or siblings are also likely to develop obesity. How a child's genes work may also be affected by the environment and the behavior of people around them. For instance, when children experience stress such as racism, violence, bullying, or isolation their genes can operate differently, causing changes in the immune system and metabolism.
These changes can increase a child’s risk of abnormal weight gain.
Many children have fewer opportunities for physical activity and fewer safe environments where they can congregate for games and other activities. Most children can't walk to and from school any longer due to unsafe environments or living too far from school. Many children who live in unsafe areas have few opportunities for safe outdoor activities, which contributes to a sedentary lifestyle.
A child's eating habits and diet are determined by the adults in the household. If the mother or other care provider doesn't know how to prepare a balanced meal and only provides fast food or convenience food, the result will be obesity in children.
But in most cases, families simply can't afford fresh fruit and vegetables, whole milk, and good meat for balanced meals. Poor socio-economic circumstances are a significant factor in childhood obesity.
Also, whether the parents are active and eat healthily will also contribute to a child's choices. A child growing up in a family where everyone spends a lot of time indoors may not feel the need to be active.
Other family factors that can contribute to childhood obesity include:
Stress at school and in the home between family members can increase a child's risk of obesity. Some children react to stress by eating more. Some children who are bored and not constructively occupied may also resort to food to deal with their feelings of boredom or powerlessness.
Childhood obesity can be addressed by focusing on the causes - eating too much of the wrong food and not being active enough. Parents can consider the suggestions below.
This may not be as easy as it sounds but it’s essential. Start by changing what you offer your child to eat. Be consistent, offer healthy food choices, and demonstrate that you enjoy these choices too. Children have no choice about what they eat – they eat what their parents give them, so make sure you give your child healthy food.
To get your child to burn more calories, you have to find a way to get your child to move. Here are some suggestions to get your child off the couch and busy outside.
The best way of encouraging your child to be active is to be active yourself. Model behaviors you want your children to exhibit. This can be as simple as asking them to help with chores like hanging the washing, watering the garden, or helping to wash the car. Taking the family dog for a daily walk is also an excellent way for everyone to get some exercise.
You can also just play with your children – chase them around, hide from them, and let them hide. Children love spending time with their parents. Make some of the time you spend together a physical activity.
You can also schedule time for family walks or participate in local fun runs. When planning family outings, choose places where they can be outside and active. Take a Frisbee or a ball with you to the park and play some games.
Encourage children to try new activities or sports activities offered at school.
This will be a battle if you are not prepared. Have an activity ready for children to get involved in when you tell them that screen time is over.
In many instances, the root of childhood obesity can be found in the lifestyle practiced at home. Parents control what they and their offspring eat – if they make healthy lifestyle choices, many obesity problems could be avoided.
Children learn at home about healthy foods and the joy of an active lifestyle. If parents provide healthy food choices and show by example that an active lifestyle is preferable, children automatically follow and do the same.
The example that parents set at home lays the groundwork for a healthy child who will also likely make healthy lifestyle choices, even when they make food choices at restaurants and school canteens.
TheDietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 propose the following guidelines for a healthy diet for children:
These foods, except the animal products, are all high in fiber. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts are all high in fiber, an essential element of any healthy diet.
Yes, research has found evidence that fiber can help to maintain a healthy body weight. Researchers have found that when childrenconsume more dietary fiber by eating fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates the incidence and risk of obesity may be prevented.
Currently, scientists don't agree on the optimal amount of fiber for children, so while everyone agrees that it's necessary for a healthy diet, dietary fiber shouldnot be regarded as a primary treatment to help children lose weight.
Yes, food eaten during pregnancy can lead to childhood obesity. Researchers from University College Dublin, Ireland found that children born to mothers who eata low-quality diet, high in inflammation-associated foods, during pregnancy may be more likely to have obesity or excess body fat in late childhood. Examples of inflammatory foods are saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, and red and processed meat.
Yes, gestational diabetes can contribute to childhood obesity. Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that starts when a woman is pregnant, not before pregnancy. In this case, the body does not produce adequate insulin to regulate blood sugar.
When a pregnant woman's gestational diabetes is untreated, her baby's blood sugar may also be high. Such babies have a high risk (nearly double the usual risk) of becoming obese during childhood.
Childhood obesity is a precursor to adult obesity, which is associated with an increased incidence of diabetes, hypertension, gallstones, and high levels of cholesterol. The shocking truth is that these and other serious health conditions are now becoming common among children and adolescents due to the obesity epidemic.
Fortunately, it is possible to reverse childhood obesity. Introducing a healthy, nutrient-dense diet, limiting screen time, and adopting a more active lifestyle can help children lose weight and enjoy life as healthy young people.