You never know how your child is piling up those calories; that glass of milk shake with the extra dollop of vanilla ice-cream to gulp down butter smeared paranthas (Indian flatbread) for breakfast, pre-lunch snack of crunchy French fries, chicken butter masala and malai kofta for lunch, pizzas with cheese stuffed crust for evening snack. The list will only go on. So will the risk of being obese.
To help him or her store those calories are the brand new Play Stations or the latest Xbox gaming console. Sitting on the couch, he concentrates on reaching the next level of Need For Speed as the tennis racquet he got as a birthday gift gathers dust somewhere in his room.
He or she grows to become a ‘healthy’ child by Indian standards. As parents, many take pride that their child has grown fat and consider it a sign of ‘aristocracy’. As chubby cheeks draw attention and sometimes a playful peck from the occasional stranger, parents smile in contentment as everyone compliments their child as ‘cute’. What they are unaware of is that hidden behind that layer of ‘cute’ fat is a lifestyle disorder called obesity.
Sorry to burst the bubble, but chances of your child becoming obese are as high as the next earthquake in Japan. A lifestyle disorder, obesity is growing among the masses irrespective of any age bracket.
According to reports from an NGO, Obesity Foundation India, childhood obesity affects more than 15 per cent of children, making it one of the common chronic condition of childhood.
“Childhood obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. Today, more and more children are being diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension and other co-morbid conditions associated with obesity and morbid obesity,” states the report.
Major factors that lead to childhood obesity have been categorised as environment, lack of physical activity, heredity and family, dietary patterns and socio-economic status.
Besides the numerous health risks that a child is exposed to, emotional trauma related to obesity is a painful aspect that children have to deal with. It’s not uncommon for children being bullied in school for their appearance. And bullying gets only worse if you are fat or a ‘fatso’. Emotional strain sometimes becomes a big hurdle for a child to overcome.
Arjun Kapoor created a buzz when he revealed his pictures as an overweight child or adolescent to the media a year back. The cheerful actor then said, “I knew I was lying to myself that I was happy being this way. I have learnt my lesson now—never give up!” His is a fit-to-fab story that made headlines that day.
Fighting or preventing obesity is not easy. You would not lose your weight overnight and wake up one morning looking like a kid from Discovery health videos. It requires hard work, dedication and a constant monitoring.
Obesity check
■ Outdoor games: There is a life outside the four walls of your room. Kabaddi, cricket, basketball, tennis—there is a whole lot of world out there. Next Christmas gift your Playstation to your neighbour and ask Santa to get you a cricket bat instead.
■ Eat Healthy: Burgers, pizzas, cheesecakes, French fries are fine if you can sweat them out. No one will stop you from eating what you like but remember the word moderation when you next visit your favourite fast food joint. And after you lick the crumbs off the plate of doughnut walk your way to home. Remember to eat calories only to lose them.
■ Right nutrition: This is strictly for parents. A child will eat healthy only when you introduce them to healthy food in the right way. Broccoli may be gross but there are ways to make them look good. So are carrots and beans. Make them interesting, put them in pastas or serve as topping on a multi grain pizza base. If there is a will, there will always be a way.
■ Consult your doc: If obesity runs in your genes, it’s better you consult a specialist who deals with it. Only with proper guidance, right nutritional intake and good lifestyle choices you will be able to fight this menace.
