Childhood Obesity

I am Dr I.P.S Kochar, pediatrics, endocrinologist and diabetologist. Today I will be talkingt to you about Child Obesity which is becoming prevealant and epidermic in India and other countries also. So, it is increasing day by day. More than 65 million of the people are facing Child Obesity under the age of 5 years.

So, if you have any child or infant who is obese. The child will have to suffer from many problems in future.

What do you mean by Obesity?

Obesity means there is an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the body. So, over weight and Obesity, both are same. Obesity can cause number of problems. There are many types of complications, those are;

• In future, a child can have heart disease. THese are all metabolic problems.
• There are more chances of getting obesity in adulthood.
• Child get more prone to HYpertension.
• Girls get more prone to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
• Reproductive problems
• Dyslipidemia

These are some of the metabolics which can occur. Besides this, the children can have non-metabolic problems like joint pains at early stage, difficulty in walking, sleep apnea problems and there can be other psychological problems. Children may have low confidence level, low self esteem. So these are the problems which are commonly found in such patients.

What should be done to get rid of this Child Obesity?

One of the major factor is lifestyle. People are becoming technically dependent. People are using AC Cars, Children are going to AC schools and buses. The play time in the schools has decreased greatly. This is all aggrevated to cause Obesity.

The food intake has also become different. Children are consuming more of junk food. high fatty food, high salty food which is one of a major cause of Obesity.

Not only people from urban area are becoming obese but also the people from rural area. This problem is required to be solved. 

The main thing is that we have to change our lifestyle. People have to change their food habits, they have to indulge in the routine exercise. So, there is a simple formula called 5-3-2-1, where,

• 5 means taking 5 portions of veggies or fruits everyday.
• 4 means taking 4 glasses of water per day.
• 3 means 3 times mil in a day.

If you don't remember this, atleast remember 5-2-1, where,

• 2 means that do not use gadgets for more than 2  hours in a day.
• 1 hour of physical activity in a day.

So, this formula is very helpful if children follow it. So, try to take low carbohydrates, low fat, more protein in the diet. One should try to change their lifestyle because the obesity is causing all these major problems.

Now, we are getting more children of 5 years, 8 years , 10 yeras with non-communicable disease like Obesity, hypertension, diabtes. Diabtes type-2 has also started coming in the children and the adolescence population only because of the lifestyle.

Now you see many girls whop are obese at the age of 12 -18 years. THey suffering problems like impaired glucose tolerance, they are getting black areas in the neck and also they are getting reproductive problems, hair on the face, so all these problems are increasing the complications. 

I would recommend to only change the lifestyle, make changes in the food habits and try to indulge in the routine exercises.

If you want to contact me, you can do so via Lybrate or you can visit my clinic which is in Noida. But pelase do follow the above mentioned tips.