From Your Health Journal…..”A great article today from India from My Digital FC by Anuradha Sawhney. The topic was the fight against childhood obesity, which has become a worldwide epidemic for adults and children. The first thing that caught my eye from this article was the image used. I read dozens of articles each day on childhood obesity, and this one poor child is always used for an image of an obese child – almost like he is the poster boy for the topic. The image must be from one of those royalty free image sites, but I almost feel bad! We know that childhood obesity is on the rise, as so many children now face health issues including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and weak bones. Change must come, and quick, as this can be the first generation of children whose life expectancy may be shorter than their parents. In 2010, there were 42 million overweight children below the age of five. From this stat, 35 million children were from the urban areas of developing countries. According to World Health Organization, the fundamental cause of childhood obesity is the drastic change in food habits. These days, children tend to eat food which are high in energy and low in nutrients and fibre. Please visit the My Digital FC web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. This was my first time on their site, and I really like many of their articles. I included a short snip below as well.”
From the article…..
Childhood obesity and the development of type-2 diabetes is on the rise among children worldwide. According to the National Medical Journal of India, obesity during childhood can lead to subsequent morbidity, even if obesity does not progress into adulthood. Children who are overweight are more susceptible to a variety of diseases like diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases, obstructive sleep apnoea, and orthopaedic and psychosocial problems.
Obesity is defined as a 20 per cent excess of calculated ideal weight for age, sex and height of a child. A child is said to be obese when there is an excess of accumulated fat in the subcutaneous tissue (below the skin) and other areas of the body.
In 2010, there were 42 million overweight children below the age of five. Of this, 35 million children were from the urban areas of developing countries. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the fundamental cause of childhood obesity is the drastic change in food habits. These days, children tend to eat food which are high in energy and low in nutrients and fibre.
According to studies, nearly 16 per cent of children in India are overweight and 31 per cent are at the risk of falling in this category. And according to Anoop Mishra, director, department of diabetes and metabolic diseases, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi, childhood obesity had increased from 16 per cent in 2002 to 24 per cent in 2007 in New Delhi.
A study in Devangere, Karnataka, concluded that consumption of high fat and high energy food (junk food) and snacking in between meals was the major reason for the children being obese. According to experts, health education needed to be given to parents, teachers and children regarding dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles. Since children consume about 30 per cent to 50 per cent of their daily calories while at school, the lunches in schools need to be monitored.
To read the full article…..Click here