India Has Second Highest Obese Children: Tips To Reduce Childhood Obesity

India with 14.4 million had the second highest number of obese children in 2015, after China with 15.3 million, a study has found. The study showed that in 2015, excess weight affected 2.2 billion children and adults worldwide, or 30 per cent of all people. This includes nearly 108 million children and more than 600 million adults with BMI exceeding 30, a metric used to determine obesity.

"Excess body weight is one of the most challenging public health problems of our time, affecting nearly one in every three people," said lead author Ashkan Afshin, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in Washington, US. The findings, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, represent "a growing and disturbing global public health crisis," the researchers said.

Further, an increasing number of people are dying even though they are not technically considered obese. Of the 4.0 million deaths attributed to excess body weight in 2015, nearly 40 per cent occurred among people whose body mass index (BMI) fell below the threshold considered "obese," the researchers noted.

"People who shrug off weight gain do so at their own risk - risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and other life-threatening conditions," explained Christopher Murray from the University of Washington. The study spans 195 countries and territories from 1980 through 2015. The results showed that the prevalence of obesity has doubled since 1980 in more than 70 countries.

How to tackle obesity at an early age?

1. Change in diet: you can help children learn to be aware of what they eat by developing healthy eating habits. Consumption of sugar-laden soft drinks may contribute to childhood obesity. Encourage healthy eating habits. Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products. Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products. Encourage your family to drink lots of water.

2. Include physical activity in your daily routine: physical inactivity in children has also shown to be a serious cause, and children who fail to engage in regular physical activity are at greater risk of obesity. Use the word "activity" instead of "exercise" or "workout" to keep them interested. Activities like brisk walking, jumping rope, playing soccer, swimming or dancing can be done.

3. Cut down on screen time: many children fail to exercise because they are spending too much time on immobile activities like computers, video games or watching television. Limit the time your children to 2 hours per day, to watch television, play video games, or surf the

(With inputs from IANS)
 

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