Obesity in adults is a condition affecting more and more people throughout the world every year. While some cases can be linked to genetic malfunctions or other medical conditions, the fact that childhood obesity is also on the rise gives credence to the belief that much of the problem could be resolved through a change in childhood eating and exercise habits.
Parents should monitor the weight of their children and check with the family paediatrician during routine visits. He’ll tell you how your child’s weight compares to his height, and to other children of the same stature. Don’t panic if your child seems a bit overweight during the first few years of life; it’s actually quite normal.
If your child shows signs of higher weight to height proportion, consult a doctor or nutritionist who can help you develop an eating plan to maintain the child’s current weight. This way, his body will level out naturally as he gets taller and more developed. If he is already leaning toward obesity, some weight loss may be necessary. However, never put young children on a weight loss diet without the advice of a doctor.
The eating plan you’ll be working with should be a well-balanced diet including all the major food groups. While you may not want to deprive our child from eating fast food like McDonalds and KFC, ensure that you do not encourage them to take such food all the time. However, don’t go over board and completely eliminate things like fat, sugar, and red meat. All these things, just like fruits and vegetables, contain essential nutrients a child’s body needs to grow properly. Moderation in all the food groups is the key.
Finally, the importance of physical exercise cannot be emphasised enough. The human body is naturally programmed to store unneeded food calories as fat for later use. A child who is largely inactive will gain weight quickly as his body doesn’t need all the calories he takes in. Daily physical activity goes a long way in preventing obesity.
