Obese children: Serious challenge for parents

Obesity is a major health concern for medical professionals. Many countries are confronted with the problem concerning childhood obesity. Despite many efforts to control the problem, it appears that the number of obese children keeps on increasing. Children should be protected from obesity as it causes various conditions. 

Cases of childhood obesity around the globe are increasing at an alarming rate. If this problem is overlooked, it may have severe impact on future generations. Overweight children have become double in the last two to three decades. Mainly, overweight is the outcome of caloric imbalance.  It is necessary to analyze the root causes of obese child in today’s environment. People have traditional thought that parents and media are responsible for childhood obesity but it is not always true. In present situation, the lifestyle is changing very fast and child is exposed to diverse situation where he adopts good and bad habits. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality as well as reduced life expectancy. For children and adolescents, overweight and obesity are defined using age and sex specific normograms for body mass index (BMI). Children with BMI equal to or exceeding the age-gender-specific 95th percentile are defined obese. Those with BMI equal to or exceeding the 85th but are below 95th percentiles are defined overweight and are at risk for obesity related co-morbidities.

Obese children may be forced to bear the health consequences of obesity if prevention efforts are not effective. Parents play a role in making food choices. Since children are still incapable to judge which foods are healthy and which ones are not, the parents should look after the foods taken by their children to ensure that they only take healthy foods. Children are taught early in life to take healthy foods are also more likely to choose healthy foods over unhealthy ones. It is believable that children who are into negative eating habits were not taught by their parents about healthy food choices. It is however more believable that these children adopted that lifestyle of their parents. 

Parents are model to their children in terms of food choices and whether their parents consumed, children may follow. Children are also allowed to make decisions on the food they want to it. Children are poor in food decisions that instead of choosing healthy snacks and fruits, they go for unhealthy, sugary foods. Exercise helps burn fat and calories thus in the absence of exercise, fats tend to accumulate in the body. Modern living is associated with stresses, pressures and tensions. To relieve one from these stresses, people turn to food and beverages. Individuals can become very indulgent in these foods which serve as their comfort foods that they tend to forget to limit their intake. Too much indulgence indeed can become a habit thereby resulting to increased weight and eventually to obesity. 

Child gains weight when his daily routine lacks in physical activity and he adopts unhealthy eating patterns. It is believed that child obesity is the child's fault itself because the child eats excessive food without thinking the consequences of his eating pattern. Sometimes children do not set their schedule properly and sleep deprivation could be liable for an approximately doubled risk of obesity. It has been observed that in wealthier nations, plenteous food is available but it is not always nutritious. Even though parents restrict but due to intense desire, child consumes such foods and puts on weight. 

Children who make a habit of poor diets and live sedentary lifestyles are under grip of obesity, which is a severe health problem worldwide (UNICEF). Children who excessively nibble may become obese. It is anticipated that the average American eats the equal of a fourth meal every day. With the flood of fast food in market, Children prefer to eat such food. Over-consumption of these foods is one more probable cause of child obesity. Children must be careful in selecting numerous fast food chains resulting obesity. 

A healthful eating plan can be prepared to help obese children shed off the extra pounds. Diets are commonly emphasized on restricting carbohydrate intakes, low-fat diets and novelty diets. These types of diets however are not totally reliable. It may result to weight loss though but cannot guarantee that one will be able to maintain the desired weight. Normally weight is regained once diet is stopped.  Diet therefore cannot assure one of a long-term weight management. If diet is the sole approach towards weight reduction and weight management, this may not really be successful.

In order to attain the desired weight and maintain it, one should use a new approach; one that does not solely focus on diet but also include other influencing factors of obesity. A combination of healthy eating and eating less, engaging in physical activity and changing behavioral patterns can be the successful approach to a long-term weight management.