About Childhood Obesity

Being overweight or in a state of gross fatness is referred to as obesity. Childhood obesity is a medical disorder where a child’s body fat content is beyond the recommended level, which has detrimental effects on the child’s health (Cunningham, Kramer & Narayan 408).

Impact of Childhood Obesity

One of the most significant impacts is psychological impact in social circumstances where children are harassed and abused by their classmates, which causes them to feel discriminated. Skin conditions, poor digestion, early adolescence, and pulmonary consequences are among the physical impacts (Ogden et al. 810).

Increasing Awareness

The main method through which parents can learn about childhood-related obesity is by increasing their awareness on the matter. Such awareness is created by concerned health institutions such as Obesity Society and Council of Health Promotion. By joining these programs, parents can get educated on the benefits of exercise and activities on children, one of the major objectives of such schemes. Through this, they can encourage their children to participate in physical activities such as playing football, running, walking and bicycle riding amongst others as these help in breaking down of excess fats in the child’s body (Nelson, Corbin & Richardson 1034).

Importance of Balanced Diet

Health societies also teach parents about the importance of balanced diet and good nutrition practices (Nelson, Corbin & Richardson 1036). Through the latter, children are entitled to all nutrients needed by the body in appropriate portions hence helps preventing illnesses caused by poor eating habits and other health hazards. Children are therefore involved in discussions on the various foods and their respective nutritional values. Through such forums, children are able to understand the values and importance of nutrients found in the various diets hence developing a proper insight on nutrition values. However, understanding the need and importance of breakfast to the children is also a very important way to curb obesity. As the first meal of the day is meant to break the fast, parents should also understand that it is a very crucial meal to the health of the child and is of great nutritional value.

Role Modeling and Parental Involvement

By acting as role models to their children, parents themselves learn good nutritional practices as well as proper hygienic standards. This creates a ’get-active-with-your-kids’ tendency where the parents or guardians learn the best ways to entice their kids to exercise. Through this, children tend to imitate what their parents actually do hence developing an upright mind-set on exercise and healthy nutritional practices (Ogden et al. 812).

Seeking Medical Attention

Finally, parents should seek medical attention from physicians who are informed on matters concerning obesity as an educational motive. Such experts can expound their knowledge with regards to prevention of childhood obesity and other health defects affecting their young offspring. Obesity in children can cause high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (Ogden et al. 811). Hesitating to seek medical assistance on health issues concerning children can be a gross mistake, considering the negative consequences of an aspect such as childhood obesity (Cunningham, Kramer & Narayan 405).

References

Cunningham, Solveig A., Michael R. Kramer, and KM Venkat Narayan. “Incidence of childhood obesity in the United States.” New England Journal of Medicine 370.5 (2014): 403-411.

Nelson, Sarah A., Marilyn A. Corbin, and Sharon M. Nickols Richardson. “ A call for culinary skills education in childhood obesity-prevention intervations: current status and peer influences. “Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 113.8 ( 2013): 1031-1036.

Ogden, Cynthia L., et al. “Prelevance of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012.” Jama 311.8 (2014):806-814.