CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND HOW TO TREAT IT

In the last 20 years, the rate of obesity in children has amplified, and now it affects every one in six children and adolescents. The number is growing day by day because of the increased amount of processed food, soft drinks, junk food, and prolonged screen time with any physical activity. The increasing obesity in children raises the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers. Moreover, obesity-related medical costs are pretty expensive for parents to handle.

Promoting healthy lifestyles is ideally a family priority and is best accomplished with teamwork in mind. In this respect, every year on 16 October, United Nations celebrates World Food Day to encourage people towards healthy eating. This year the theme is Our Actions and our future. Better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life. This theme promotes global awareness among people to ensure healthy diets for all.

Now let’s see the causes of obesity in Colleyville’s children and how you can treat it with the help of nutrition therapy and by taking possible measures.

What Is Childhood Obesity?

Kids with a Body Mass Index (BMI) higher than 95% of their peers are considered obese.

Childhood obesity is a severe medical state that affects children. It is very troubling for adolescents because the extra pounds often lead them to specific health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac diseases, etc. It may also cause depression and poor self-esteem in children.

What Are The Causes?

The causes of childhood obesity can be as follows:

• Psychological factors, family background, and lifestyle play a crucial role in childhood obesity. Kids whose parents are overweight are more expected to follow suit.
• A poor diet comprising high levels of fat or sugar and few nutrients can cause kids to gain weight quickly.
• Fast food, candies, and soft drinks are the common culprits of childhood obesity.
• Convenience food such as frozen dinners, salty snacks, and canned pasta also contributes to children’s unhealthy weight gain.
• No to minimum physical activity can be another cause of childhood obesity.

What Are The Treatments?

1.    Change In Diet

Cut down on high-calorie food such as fast food, baked items, vending machine snacks, chocolates, soft drinks, etc. Please work with your children to pack healthy snacks in their lunch that contain healthy vegetables, fruits, and meat.

If your child is unwilling to eat veggies and fruits, try to represent it creatively. A good and colorful representation matters a lot. Watch some YouTube videos and try to imitate those styles in your child’s lunch box and dinner.

The best example of a healthy meal is the bento box. Japanese people follow this 5-rule cooking tactic where they have one main course like meat, fish, or chicken and four side dishes vegetables especially green, fruits, nuts, and soup. It is a highly nutritious meal that unfolds the reason why Japanese people have a long lifespan.

2.    Increase Physical Activity

Increase your child’s level of bodily activity to help them shed that extra bulk safely. Use the word ‘activity’ instead of ‘exercise’ in front of your child. Play hopscotch outside or go jogging around the block. Consider encouraging your child to try the sport in which they are interested.

Be sure to cut down on screen time for kids who spend several hours a day watching television, computer games, or using smartphones because these devices are more likely to be overweight.

Talk To A Nutritional Therapist

For checkups, consultation, and to align a proper diet for your child with their weight & height, you may go to a certified nutritional therapist at The Therapy Place in Colleyville.