Childhood obesity is a dangerous medical illness that impacts children and adolescents. The reason is that youngsters who gain weight are more likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression and low self-esteem.
Key Data on Obesity
Over 890 million persons over the age of 18 who were overweight made up 2.5 billion overweight adults in 2022 according to World Health Organization. This translates to 43% of persons over 18 who were overweight (43% of men and 44% of women). This is an increase from 25% of adults over 18 in 1990. The WHO’s Southeast Asia and African regions had a 31% prevalence of overweight, whereas the Americas had a 67% prevalence.
In 2022, 16% of adults globally who were 18 years of age or older were obese. Between 1990 and 2022, the prevalence of obesity more than doubled globally. It was observed that 37 million children under five were overweight in 2022. Being overweight is a growing issue in low- and middle-income countries, despite previously being thought of as a problem in high-income nations. Since 2000, the proportion of overweight children under five in Africa has climbed by over 23%. Asian countries accounted for about half of the world’s under-5-year-old overweight or obese population in 2022.
In 2022, more than 390 million children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19 were overweight. From only 8% in 1990 to 20% in 2022, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) among children and adolescents aged 5-19 has increased significantly. Male and female obesity rates have increased concurrently, with 21% of boys and 19% of girls being overweight in 2022. In 1990, there were only 31 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 who were obese (2% of all children and adolescents). By 2022, however, 8% of all children and adolescents (160 million young people) were obese.
Causes of Childhood Obesity
Poor Diet
Eating high-calorie foodstuffs regularly, like baked foods, fast foods, and snacks from vending machines, can make your child gain excess weight. Desserts and candy can also contribute to weight gain. It is also evident that sugar-filled beverages such as fruit juices and sports drinks can lead to weight gain among children.
Lack of body exercise
Little exercises have a higher chance of making children gain weight since they are not burning as many calories as needed. Furthermore, spending too much time on sedentary hobbies like playing video games or watching television can lead to childhood obesity. TV advertisements promoting unhealthy foods also have a greater impact on the consumption of foods, leading to weight gain in children.
Family characteristics
The child is more likely to gain weight if they have an overweight family member. This is particularly true in settings that have a constant supply of high-calorie foods and discourage physical activity.
Psychological aspects
Stress in the home, on parents, and in the family can raise a child’s risk of obesity. Some kids consume foods excessively as a coping mechanism for issues to express emotions like stress or boredom.
Socioeconomic status
Certain communities have restricted access to stores and limited resources available to their residents. Consequently, they could purchase convenience items like frozen foods, crackers, and cookies that don’t go bad easily. Furthermore, residents of lower-class neighborhoods may lack access to a secure fitness facility.
Some medical prescriptions
Certain drugs prescribed by doctors can have a high chance of leading to childhood obesity. These drugs include amitriptyline, prednisone, paroxetine, gabapentin, lithium, and propranolol.
Prevention Childhood Obesity
Developing a healthy eating pattern
Parents should give their children different kinds of fruits and vegetables. While frozen and canned fruits are still healthy for the family, they are frequently less expensive than fresh. They can look for fruits and vegetables packaged in 100% fruit juice and have little or no added salt.
Adopting healthy eating habits as a family helps kids grow up and maintain a healthy weight. Consuming a range of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, foods high in lean protein, and dairy products with minimal or no fat promotes optimal health in both adults and children.
Setting good sleep routines
Getting enough sleep lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, accidents, and behavioral and attentional issues. Children who experience sleep deprivation may gain weight in an unhealthy way.
Reducing screen time
Excessive exposure to screens in childhood is linked to poor sleep, weight gain, poor academic performance, and poor mental health. Reducing screen time can improve family time and eliminate temptations to overindulge in junk food. Reducing screen time and enhancing sleep quality can be achieved by turning off devices an hour before bed and taking electronics out of kids’ bedrooms.
Developing Early Care and Education on Obesity Prevention
Early care and education (ECE) settings are among the most suitable settings outside the home to assist young children in establishing the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle because the large number of children are enrolled. Positive social-emotional development, academic success, long-term health, and socioeconomic results are all influenced favorably by high-quality early childhood education.