Childhood Obesity Can Cause Chronic Diseases In Later Life; Expert Shares Tips To Manage This Global Health Concern
Dec 04, 2024
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Childhood Obesity Can Cause Chronic Diseases In Later Life; Expert Shares Tips To Manage This Global Health Concern. (Image: Canva)
Childhood obesity is a growing crisis that every parent should take seriously. It not only affects a child's self-esteem but also opens the door to serious health issues like hypertension, high cholesterol, joint problems, depression, and diabetes. Curious about how these factors intertwine? Dr. Sanju Sidaraddi, Consultant - Pediatrician and Neonatologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Kharghar explains.
He says, "Childhood obesity is rising rapidly and has become a growing concern for many. It is a wake-up call for the families as well as the children to not ignore this serious health issue. Over the last few decades childhood obesity rates have significantly increased in India and all over the world. Various factors can contribute to obesity in children."
One of the major factors contributing to childhood obesity is increased screen time. Many children spend endless hours in front of their television, video games, tablets, and computers instead of going outdoors. This can significantly affect their mobility resulting in an inactive lifestyle. The unhealthy eating habits are also to be blamed. Kids have easy access to junk food, sugary drinks, and snacks which can take a heavy toll on their health. Obese children are also more likely to experience a range of health complications like difficulty in breathing, muscle and joint pain, diabetes, high blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels (LDL), bone fracture, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cardiovascular disease, kidney problems, thyroid issues, stress, depression, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Chronic diseases that can be seen in obese children
- Type 2 diabetes: It is one of the common diseases that is increasingly diagnosed in children particularly those who suffer from obesity.
- High blood pressure: Obesity can heighten the risk of high blood pressure in children. Excessive weight gain can put extreme pressure on the heart as well as the blood vessels resulting in high blood pressure levels.
- Joint problems: Being obese can be stressful for your joints and bones. Children who are overweight are often seen complaining about experiencing pain in the knees, joints, and hips.
- Depression: Children with obesity tend to struggle with self-esteem and body image issues. It can take a heavy toll on their psychological well-being resulting in depression, stress, and anxiety.
Encourage your children to focus more on outdoor playing instead of being glued to their electronic screens for a longer duration. Children should get at least 45 to 50 minutes of physical activity be it in any form like cycling, running, playing physical games with their friends, jogging, meditating, yoga, dancing, walking, aerobics, and swimming. This can further lead to a healthy and fit lifestyle. Focus on improving their dietary habits by introducing them to healthy eating. Replace sugary drinks, packaged foods, and snacks with healthy and tasty alternatives for the betterment of their health. Rather than just focusing on their health focus on their health.
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