What is obesity?

Obesity is a state of severe overweight – reaching a level that affects health.

Obesity in childhood is associated with many health problems and often indicates that children become obese in adulthood. Because childhood obesity increases at an alarming rate, it is very worrying. The number of overweight children worldwide is rapidly increasing, and national health services have been pushed to the limit to cope with increased pressure.

Obesity leads to:

Obesity and overweight are caused by two simple factors – an unhealthy diet [characterically too rich in sugar and fat, not enough fiber and carbohydrates], and not doing enough exercise to consume calories burned. This can accumulate body fat and belly fat.

There are occasional other factors. For example, in a rare genetic disease called Prader-Willi syndrome, there may be a problem of controlling hunger.

The effects of obesity include joint and bone problems [such as femoral condyle and arch leg slip], a condition called benign intracranial hypertension that causes headaches and affects vision, and hypoventilation [leading to daytime sleepiness, snoring and even heart] fails ], gallbladder disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, high blood pressure and high blood lipids.

Obesity increases the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. This is usually a disease that occurs in late adulthood, but due to obesity, the trend of this disease in young children is becoming more and more obvious. The psychological impact is also obvious, leading to low self-esteem.

In the UK, about 27% of children are now overweight, and research shows that the main problem is the continued decline in child movement. Many overweight children have overweight parents – this is usually a problem with family lifestyles.

The child's body mass index [BMI] is calculated using the same process as adults – weight [kg] divided by height [m] squared. Avoid using adult BMI to determine if your child is overweight or obese. Specific age adjustment charts are essential.

A lifestyle, including very little physical activity and excessive inactivity, especially on TV, will lead to childhood obesity. There are two things for the children. One is that they have ample food supply, usually high calories, rich in fat and sugar; second, lack of physical exercise.

Children have also experienced explosions in visual media that provide excitement that previous generations have discovered from physical activity, such as football, athletics or just playing outdoors with other children.

A major factor in childhood obesity is that many schools have gradually phased out compulsory physical education. This means that children will never be informed of the importance of physical activity.

Parents must play a more active role by encouraging their children to stay active and telling them why health reasons are so important. Activities don't need to be structured like sports, but they keep you exercising and burning calories, such as cycling, walking, swimming or gardening.

Depicting a grave in your mind, standing next to the grave is the death of a group of parents who mourn their son or daughter for obesity. Very sad, but it is becoming more and more common every day. The threat of obesity is compelling worldwide. Don't let it affect you.

I wish you all good health and speak as soon as possible.

What is childhood obesity? was originally published on Spring