How to Curb it: Obesity among Young Children, Adolescent

Obesity is one of the biggest problems that humanity faces today. The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents has increased substantially over the last decade all around the world. Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and more likely to develop noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. Obese children and adolescents may also suffer from both short-term and long-term health consequences.

Factors contributing to the increasing problem of overweight and obesity include:

Poor diet and inadequate nutrition. Regularly eating high-calorie foods, such as fast foods, baked goods, and vending machine snacks can cause your child to gain weight. Candy and desserts also can cause weight gain, and more and more evidence point to sugary drinks, including fruit juices and sports drinks, as culprits in obesity in some people.

Lack of exercise. Children who don’t exercise are much more likely to gain weight because they don’t burn as many calories. Too much time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching television or playing video games, also contributes to the problem. TV shows also often feature ads for unhealthy foods.

Family factors. If your child comes from a family of overweight people, he or she may be more likely to put on weight. This is especially true in an environment where high-calorie foods are always available and physical activity isn’t encouraged.

Psychological factors. Personal, parental, and family stress can increase a child’s risk of obesity. Some children overeat to cope with problems or to deal with emotions, such as stress, or to fight boredom. Their parents might have similar tendencies.

Socioeconomic factors. People in some communities have limited resources and limited access to supermarkets. As a result, they might buy convenience foods that don’t spoil quickly, such as frozen meals, crackers, and cookies. Also, people who live in lower-income neighborhoods might not have access to a safe place to exercise.

Therefore, interventions should focus on behavioral changes in an individual such as increasing daily physical exercise or improving the quality of diet by restricting excess calorie intake. In addition to behavioral and dietary recommendations, changes in the community-based environment such as the promotion of healthy food choices by taxing unhealthy foods, improving lunch food quality, and increasing daily physical activity at school and childcare centers, are extra measures that are needed.

The Central Visayas Nutrition Committee came with RNC Resolution No. 016-04 urging the public to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened foods and beverages to decrease the risk of overweight and obesity and the development of non-communicable diseases thru the local government units and regional government agencies.

These interventions may include a ban on unhealthy food advertisements aimed at children as well as access to playgrounds and green spaces where families can feel their children can safely recreate. Also, this will limit screen time for adolescents as well as younger children.

But to prevent obesity, we need to start early, that is in the First 1000 days of life. Proper breastfeeding and complementary feeding may also help. Prevention remains to be the most feasible option for curbing the childhood obesity epidemic. (ND II Sarah Belle I. Antiola, RND)