OBESITY among children has reached epidemic proportions in many countries. The World health organization reports that an estimated 22 million children under the age of 5 are overweight.

A national survey in Spain revealed that one in every three children is either overweight or obese. Within 1985-1995 childhood obesity tripped in Australia. In the last three decades, obesity in children aged 6- 11 has more than tripled in the United States.

Childhood obesity is not leaving out developing countries in its global crunch of all it can envelope. According to the international obesity task force, in some parts of Africa, more children are affected by obesity than malnutrition. Mexico occupied the second place in the world behind the United States for childhood obesity in 2007.

What are the complications? Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. These are health problems formally considered characteristics mostly of most adults. According to the U.S Institute of Medicine, 30 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls born in the united states in 2000 have a lifetime rate of been diagnosed of obesity related type II diabetes.

Unless the upward trend is reversed we would be facing an explosion of new cardiovascular disease cases in young adults and adults.

Childhood Globesity

RELATED FACTORS

What is behind this global epidemic among children and adults? Excessive weight is caused by kids eating too much and exercising too little. Workingparents have less time and energy to prepare meals; fast food has increasing become symbol of status quo.

Children between 4 to 19yrs eat fast food every day. Such foods are very high in sugar and fats.

Soft drinks have seemingly replaced milk and water as the beverage of choice. According to the book overcoming childhood obesity just one 6oo milliliter soft drink a day can result in a gain of 11 kilograms in a year.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

One of the best strategies to combat excessive weight in children is to improve their diet and exercise level.

Make healthful habits a family commitment; if you do they will become a way of life for your children carrying over into adulthood

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO?

1 Buy and serve more fruits and vegetables than convenience food.

2 Limit soft drinks, sweetened beverages, and high fat snack foods. Instead offer water or low fat milk and healthful snacks.

3 Assign active chores to your children.

4 Limit time spent on watching television, using the computer and playing video games.

5 Plan active family outings such as going swimming, visiting the parks and going to the zoo.

6 Set example in healthful eating and exercise.

7 Do not allow children to skip breakfast. Skipping it may lead to over eating later.

8 Use cooking methods that are lower in fat such as baking, broiling and steaming instead of frying.

9 Serve smaller portions.

10 Avoid using food as reward or as a bribe

11 Sit at the table to eat. Eating in front of a television or computer screen promotes consumption and lessens awareness of feeling full.

12 Encourage physical activities such as bike riding, skipping, dancing, jumping road and playing ball.

13 Get involved in physical exercises on a regular basis as this help top burn up stored fats.