Obesity in children has been doubling in numbers over the years. An obese childhood is most likely to lead to an obese adulthood which is the main cause of concern for the society. An obese child is most likely to have emotional as well as physical troubles in his life. Apart from leading an unhealthy life, they will also be teased by their peers which may make the child low on self-confidence.
What is Obesity?
Obesity is a condition in which fat accumulates on the body in excess and leads to many health related disorders. Technically, if a person’s body mass index or BMI, which is measured by dividing a person’s weight by the square of his height, is more than 30 kg/m2 a person is considered to be obese.
Risk Factors of Obesity in Children
Unhealthy Eating Habits
Children now-a-days prefer eating junk food instead of thick leafy green vegetables. Foods like fries, burgers and pizzas are high on fat and sugar content and may hinder the healthy growth of your child.
Lack of Physical Activity
Children have started spending more time with television, computers and video games instead of engaging themselves with outdoor activities. While they prefer spending much of their time doing sedentary activities, the calories they intake do not burn out. If your child is lacking regular exercising habits it may give them troubles during their adulthood.
Environment
When you have filled your refrigerator and the kitchen with chocolates, cookies, chips and aerated drinks it is very obvious for your child to pick those up and munch over them. But if you stock healthy fruits and vegetables in the fridge your child will most likely pick them up.
Emotional Troubles
Just like adults, even children may treat food is a stress buster. Children who face anxiety due to various reasons in their lives are more vulnerable to obesity. They may try coping with the stress by eating more food.
Genetics
If your family has a history of obesity, your child may too carry the genes. In a family where the number of obese members is more, high-calorie food and non-physically active environment prevails. This will definitely encourage your child to eat more and work less.
Economic Factors
Children who are born in economically backward families are deprived of healthy foods like fruits and green leafy vegetables. On the contrary, high-calorie foods are readily available to them at cheap prices. In such conditions, your child will automatically head towards becoming obese.
All these risk factors may drag your child towards an unhealthy lifestyle and have harmful effects on their adulthood.
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