Cebu City -- Eating is essential in a child’s development. The food they eat will help them build stronger bones, maintain a good immune system, and have an overall healthy lifestyle. As parents, they might think that having their child eat anything they want is good for their health. It is, but to a certain extent, as eating too much and not exercising could lead them to becoming overweight or obese. 

The factors that influence childhood obesity could be family history, psychological factors wherein the child may be stressed, bored, or depressed, and an unhealthy lifestyle. In this article, let us discuss why obesity in children is not healthy and how parents can help their children develop a healthier lifestyle.

Children may stay overweight even in adulthood

According to the World Health Organization, when a child is diagnosed as overweight or obese, they are more likely to stay overweight even in their adulthood unless there is a lifestyle change. However, they may find it hard to change their lifestyle as they were used to their old eating habits growing up. The change may shock their system. 

Try introducing healthy eating habits to them at a young age. This could include giving them a mixture of vegetables and whole-grains products, meats, fish, and many more in their meals, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Starting them young could lower the chances of obesity as they go into adulthood, and they will be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

Children may develop non-communicable diseases

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a group of conditions that are driven primarily by four major risk factors: physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol, tobacco use, and unhealthy diets. This disease is one of the world's largest killers, putting people at risk of possible death. This is usually caused by the lifestyle a person has or genetics. 

Overweight children could be at risk of NCDs like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes if not intervened at a young age. Therefore parents must provide them with the right nutrients and allow their children to go out of the house for physical activities to lower the chances of developing any NCDs.

Children may suffer from short-term and long-term health risks

Getting your child to eat well during their development stage is good for them. This is where we get our nutrients from. However, eating too much may not be advisable as it comes with health consequences that we should take note of. 

Here are some short-term and long-term health risks that may occur in overweight children:

• High blood pressure and cholesterol
• Type 2 diabetes
• Asthma and sleep apnea
• Joint discomfort

The obesity epidemic has no simple solution; this needs a multifaceted approach. We must work together to establish a community that supports a healthy living and prevent the continuous problem of obesity.

It may be helpful to teach children at a young age to opt nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, whole beans, and nuts instead of high sugar foods and drinks. Nutrient-dense foods consist of a lot of vitamins and minerals and are low in sugar and sodium. Starting healthy diet practices at an early age may help children develop health eating habits for life.

It is also important to allow children to have at least 60 minutes of physical activities every day, especially with the COVID-19 situation, to maintain their overall physical health. Children must have a balance between their food intake and physical activities while staying at home to prevent physical inactivity and possible joint problems in the future. // By PNFP, Mary Bliss Joy Iguana, RND, and Jewelle Chua, The Memoriter Writing Service intern