The rise of childhood obesity has placed the health of an entire generation at risk.
Tom Vilsack
About 1.44 crore children are overweight in the country. Obesity is the leading cause of many health problems and around two billion children and adults globally suffer from such problems. The IMA states that nowadays the growth rate of obesity in children is much higher than in adults. Statistics show that India is second in the world after China in terms of obese children. Childhood obesity can be identified by measuring body mass index or BMI. Children with BMI ranging from 85 per cent to 95 per cent are considered obese. Overweight and obese children may be exposed to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a relatively young age. Explaining this, the President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Dr P.K. Aggarwal said, "Obesity is increasing among children around the world. India is also not untouched by this. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children is steadily increasing. Outdoor sports have been neglected due to high levels of unhealthy food, fat, sugar and salt (junk food, processed food), and more TV, Internet, computer and mobile games. Many problems persist in children with childhood obesity. Overweight and obesity in childhood can lead to other lifestyle disorders such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, etc. Therefore, there is a need to prevent and control obesity in children. ” Obese children and adolescents may have more diseases such as sleep apnoea and social and psychological problems, causing them to suffer from problems such as lack of self-esteem. Dr Aggarwal further said that it is important to develop good nutritional habits in children right from the beginning. Ensuring adequate physical activity from the right age is an important aspect of every child's development. Prevention of lifestyle diseases should start. Schools can help shape the lives of students and play an important role in the fight against childhood obesity. Healthy habits in childhood mean the creation of a healthy citizen. " Here's how to deal with unhealthy habits: Promote healthy eating habits right in the beginning. Provide low-calorie foods. Limit snacks with high fat and high sugar or salty. Tell children the importance of being physically active. Attend children for at least 60 minutes of fast physical activity every day. Prevent children from sitting in one place for long. Encourage children to play outside.
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