Obesity In Children Should Not Be Taken Lightly

It’s just been the pandemic and its impact on our health (both physical and mental well-being, as well as kids’) that we have been talking about since the past two years, and rightly so. But now that we have vaccines and getting under its cover, it’s time to bring the focus on a pertinent issue, which is the rise of obesity among kids as fallout of pandemic.

Tackling obesity in children is not a new problem, the entire world has been facing this since some time now. It is important for parents to ensure that their kids don’t fall prey to this since obesity is associated with a number of factors that increase the risk for heart disease, such as high levels of LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol, hypertension and worsening diabetes. It is important to remember that early childhood is an integral part of the attitude that the child adopts when they grow up.

Also, the pandemic has worsened the situation further, as according to doctors, there has been a rise in the number of cases of childhood obesity. It won’t be wrong to say that this problem really is widespread, and it is not only in America but the entire world. A survey was conducted in Philadelphia where overall childhood obesity prevalence saw a rise from 13.7 percent to 15.4 percent post-pandemic and was more pronounced in children 5-9 years of age. This can be attributed to so many weeks of home confinement, which led to a rise in intake of

1.      Chips,

2.      Sugary drinks,

3.      Less time spent in sporting activities, and

4.      Increase in screen time (in 75 percent children, which in fact, extended beyond the lockdown period in 37 percent children).

This is how widespread the problem really is! Also, it would be wrong to blame the children entirely in view of the unprecedented times we are in (home confinement, closure of schools, parks, higher intake of junk food, social isolation- children’s routines have literally gone haywire). There are three major factors childhood obesity depends on namely,

1.      behavior in terms of physical activity (or its lack thereof), sleep routine, medication, etc.

2.      diet (a vital component)- things you are putting inside, such as the home confinement saw a rise in consumption of high calories, low nutrients and beverages, and lastly,

3.      genetic factors.

However, genetic factors account for only 5 percent of cases or even less than that of childhood obesity. 95 percent of cases, or in fact more than that, kids are getting pushed into obesity because of their poor lifestyle and behavior choices or the way child is being brought up mostly. This highlights the role of parents in ensuring their kids are in good shape via eating well, exercising regularly and cutting back on screen time.

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