We Can Solve The Childhood Obesity Problem
- Siddharth Veerapaneni
- Feb 15, 2023
- 5 min read
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), childhood obesity, an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk, is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight and obesity are now on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. Many of the causes of overweight and obesity are preventable and reversable. However, no country has yet to reverse the growth of this epidemic.
Let's understand how we can fight this global challenge.
Key Facts
Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975
Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight
39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2020
Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016
Obesity is preventable
According to a study conducted in 2017 by Imperial College London and WHO, obesity rates in the world’s children and adolescents increased from less than 1% (equivalent to five million girls and six million boys) in 1975 to nearly 6% in girls (50 million) and nearly 8% in boys (74 million) in 2016. Combined, the number of obese five- to 19-year-olds rose more than tenfold globally, from 11 million in 1975 to 124 million in 2016. The authors say that if post-2000 trends continue, global levels of child and adolescent obesity will surpass those for moderately and severely underweight youth from the same age group by 2022.
These statistics emphasize why prevention of childhood obesity is vital, especially since we know that the treating it is extremely difficult.
"These data highlight, remind and reinforce that overweight and obesity is a global health crisis today, and threatens to worsen in coming years unless we start taking drastic action" – Dr. Fiona Bull, program coordinator for surveillance and population-based prevention of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) at WHO
"Childhood obesity is now an epidemic in India. With 14.4 million obese children, India has the second-highest number of obese children in the world, next to China. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children is 15%. In private schools catering to upper-income families, the incidence has shot up to 35-40%, indicating a worrying upward trend." – Narayana Health, Bengaluru
What Causes Obesity in Kids?
Though doctors do not fully understand how the body controls weight and body fat, the fundamental cause of childhood obesity is an imbalance between calories consumed and energy spent.
But a kid's obesity can be caused by a combination of things. It can be linked to:
Genes
Socioeconomic issues
How the body turns food into energy (metabolism)
Not getting enough sleep
Lifestyle choices - type of food, level of physical activity
Emotional issues
Health Implications of Childhood Obesity
Obese children are at increased risk of hypertension, osteoarthritis, high cholesterol and triglycerides, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, respiratory problems, emotional disturbances, and some cancers. Studies have found that without intervention, children and adolescents with obesity will likely continue to be obese into adulthood. Two in three obese children will remain obese as adults and at risk for adult lifestyle diseases.
Prevention and Control
Proven and simple strategies to prevent obesity include:
Increase fruit and vegetable intake.
Reducing TV viewing - eating while viewing TV is a major cause of excess food intake; TV commercials lead children towards fast foods,
Reduce sugar intake - sugar is now called the new ‘tobacco’ and must be limited at all ages; encourage consumption of water instead of sweetened drinks
Encourage physical activity - it is a struggle to ensure active lives in children, due to limited time and academic pressures; parents need to facilitate physical activity in young children, and 60 minutes of daily vigorous physical activity in older children
"WHO encourages countries to implement efforts to address the environments that today are increasing our children’s chance of obesity. Countries should aim particularly to reduce consumption of cheap, ultra-processed, calorie dense, nutrient poor foods. They should also reduce the time children spend on screen-based and sedentary leisure activities by promoting greater participation in physical activity through active recreation and sports" – Dr. Bull
How I Solved My Over-weight Problem?
All my childhood, I stayed chubby and had little control on my eating habits. I didn't know about the gravity of the obesity problem when I started working out at the age of 13. All I knew was that I am genetically predisposed to growing obese and I could end up in a bad shape if I was not proactive about it.
It is important to start your fitness journey with small and simple lifestyle changes, like swapping your food habits to healthier alternatives. I started my fitness journey with baby steps. In my eighth grade I took up playing soccer seriously with the aim to represent my school's grade team. In that process I realized that I needed to be fitter to compete with my peers, both in and out of school. I started a workout routine that focused on cardio, a little bit of weight training, and ab exercises. Soon, I started losing body fat which helped with my agility and overall fitness. Through this process I realized that there are several benefits of strength training including losing fat by burning calories effectively, promoting greater mobility and flexibility, and improving brain health, to name a few.
After my eighth grade, I moved to the UK to start boarding at Oundle, a small town north of London. Rugby was the sport for my first term and all the kids are required to participate. Rugby requires strength and agility. Though I managed to get through that term, I realized that I needed to ramp up my workout routine to compete better the following year. But the first COVID-19 wave in early 2020 dashed those plans.
In the summer of 2020, I was back home after lock-down ended and could go to the gym regularly for two months which helped me establish a routine and also progress to the next level of weight training. I could do better in Rugby that year when my school reopened for physical classes. In the beginning of 2021, I was stuck at home due to the second COVID wave. Again, I used the time for regular extended workouts and started to build the frame that I was aspiring for.
For the remainder of 2021, I focused on building muscle and a bigger frame with the objective to cut down after the end of the year. Last year I worked on achieving the optimal shape by focusing on my diet (i.e., reducing calory intake) but keeping my workout intensity level the same.
Let's Solve this Global Problem
After three years of regular workouts, which improved in structure and rigor as I became more knowledgeable of the science behind fitness, I can now claim to have achieved my goal of maintaining optimal weight and be one of the fittest of my age group. Although strength training and conditioning are beneficial and safe for children to engage in, there remain myths and misconceptions regarding their use thus preventing adoption and spread. In one of my earlier posts, I explained how these myths were dispelled through scientific studies.
I would urge you to take the first step and start with small goals. Incorporate simple exercises every day including walking, jogging, and at-home exercises like yoga, Pilates, or body weight. If you are consistent with your workouts and healthy eating habits, results will show! I strongly recommend young kids to inculcate fitness and strength training into their lifestyle and would be happy to share my knowledge if they need guidance. Contact Me with any questions on improving fitness and/or structuring your workout schedule. I also love to hear any feedback you may have on this post through comments below
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