Childhood obesity was not commonly heard of in India until the last few years. Unfortunately, today the reality is starkly different. Obesity has become a widespread disease in India with a whopping 14.4 million kids falling into the clutches of obesity, second only to China.
As one of the top 10 CBSE Schools in Mohali, we feel parents and students alike must know why children get obese and what can be done about it.
Obesity – Causes
Here are the main reasons why children turn obese.
Lack of Physical Activity
Laziness has made inroads into children’s lives like a disease. They waste their time on fruitless pursuits like watching television but avoid exercising. The result is that they do not burn any calories, which leads to the accumulation of excessive fat in their bodies.
Poor Diet
Chomping on high-calorie sugary, buttery and fried snacks, pastries, and cheesy pizzas surely are irresistible. But when children develop an unhealthy obsession with junk food it is worrisome because such foods are known to cause weight gain without providing much nutritional content.
Psychological Factors
Sadly children today are more prone to stress and anxiety than 15 years ago. Excessive psychological pressure may drag them down and drive them to indulge in emotional eating. Consequentially they end up piling on calories and unhealthy fat.
Genetic Factors
The chance of children being obese multiplies when their family has a long history of obesity. This does not mean that the child will put on weight but parents and children must exercise great care.
Preventive Measures
However, no hope is lost. There are ways to effectively fight off the ills of obesity as listed below.
More Exercise
The best way to deal with obesity is to get children to be more physically active so that they burn more calories than they consume. As per medical studies at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity is essential to maintain a healthy body.
Healthy Diet
Junk food is all about taste without nutrition. So encourage children to eat their greens. Include more fibrous fruits and vegetables in their diet. Tell them how these superfoods are going to make them stronger.
Enough Sleep
Make sure that your child gets around 8-9 hours of sleep every night. Turn off all screen devices before bedtime to avoid distractions. Sleep deprivation causes a spike in food cravings and makes the body too tired to work out.
Regularly featured among the top 10 schools in Mohali, at Gurukul World, we are actively involved in making your child’s life healthy and happy.
