Kids of all ages and income levels are affected by childhood obesity, which is a significant public health problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that about 1 in 5 kids and teens in the US are overweight or fat.
Many Things Lead to Youth Fat
Genetics: Some kids are more likely to be overweight than others because of their genes.
When kids eat a lot of bad foods, like soda, processed foods, and fast food, they are more likely to be overweight.
Kids who don’t do a lot of outdoor exercise are likelier to be overweight.
If kids don’t have easy access to good food and safe places to play, they live in an obesogenic setting. This means they are more likely to be overweight.
Health Outcome
Being overweight as a child can have harmful effects on your health, such as:
Type 2 diabetes: Overweight or fat kids are more likely to get type 2 diabetes, a long-term disease that can cause heart disease, stroke, and blindness.
High blood pressure: Overweight or fat kids are more likely to have high blood pressure, which can cause heart disease and stroke.
High cholesterol: Obese kids are more likely to have high cholesterol, which can also make them more likely to get heart disease.
Obese kids are more likely to have sleep apnea, a sleep disease that can make it hard to breathe while you sleep.
Joint problems: Kids who are overweight are more likely to have knee pain and other common issues.
Mental health issues: kids who are overweight are more likely to have mental health issues like worry and sadness.
Lifestyle Changes
To stop kids from becoming overweight, many things can be done.
Getting kids to eat a healthy diet means telling them to eat lots of fruits, veggies, and whole grains and not too many sugary drinks, processed foods, and fast food.
Encouraging kids to be active means making sure they do at least 60 minutes of exercise every day.
Offering easy access to healthy food and safe places for kids to play are examples of making the surroundings healthy.
Talking to kids about obesity: Parents and other adults who care for kids should speak to them about how to reach a healthy weight and why it’s essential.
It’s not easy to stop kids from becoming overweight, but it can be done. By taking steps to improve kids’ diets and levels of exercise, we can help lower the number of fat kids and make their health better in general.
Educate
Here are some more ways to keep kids from becoming overweight:
Show others how to do it: Kids pick up things from the people in their lives. You should eat well and exercise for your kids to do the same.
To feed your kids healthy food, keep healthy snacks and meals on hand.
Cut down on screen time. Kids who watch TV, play video games, or use other electronics for long periods are likelier to be overweight.
Take part in what your kids are doing: You should help them find fun things to do that will get them moving.
Talk to your doctor. If you are worried about your child’s weight, you should talk to their doctor. They can help you determine how to get your kid to a good weight.
Your kids will stay healthy and avoid getting fat if you follow these tips.
