Healthy People Childhood Obesity Is a Serious

¶ … Healthy People

Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects both children and adolescents. This condition occurs when a child is above the normal weight for their age. The number of overweight children has dramatically increased over the recent years.it is approximated that ten percent of children who are aged between four and five years are over weight twice that twenty years ago. Obesity is more prevalent in girls as compared to boys and in preschoolers who are older ages 4-5 as compared to younger ages 2-3 years. Obesity increases more as the children grow older. For children aged between six and eleven years it is estimated that one in every five children is obese. Over the last two decades this number has doubled as the number has increased more that 50% (Department of Health, 2012). Childhood obesity is quite disturbing since the extra pounds are a beginning of health problems that were initially only confirmed to adults such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity often leads to poor self-esteem and depression. All preschoolers have their own individual body structures and patterns of growth. The assessment of obesity is quite difficult since children have unpredictable spurts of growth. Therefore health professionals should do an examination of a child's height and weight relative to their growth history.

Balance is key when it comes to maintaining the healthy weight of your child. Parents should ensure that they balance the calories their children eat and drink through physical; activities and normal growth. Obese children should reduce the rate they gain weight with at the same time giving room for normal growth and development. Balancing calories and helping children develop healthy eating habits is one way of preventing obesity in children. Children should be offered nutritious meals and snacks that have appropriate number of calories. Parents can help their children develop healthy eating habits through making their favorite dishes healthier and reduce calorie-rich temptations.

When it comes to encouraging healthy eating habits there are small changes that can be done to recipes which will be quite successful. This include providing plenty fruits, vegetables and whole grain products; including low fat dairy products; serving reasonable size proportions, limit sweetened beverages and so on.

Another way of preventing obesity in children is through helping children understand just how beneficial physical activities are. Children are to be taught that physical activities have so many great benefits such as strengthening bones, reducing anxiety and stress, increasing self-esteem, decreasing blood pressure, helping the management of weight and son on (American Heart Association, Inc., 2014).

Another preventive measure is helping children to stay active. Children should participate in moderate -- intensity physical activities for at least an hour most days of the weekend if possible do this every day. Some of thee moderate -- intensity activities include brisk walking, dancing, swimming, playing soccer and so on.

Another preventive measure is reduction of sedentary time. Although quiet time is required for doing homework or reading parents should make sure that they limit time the children spend on screens such watching TV, playing video games or internet. In fact children who are under two years are not recommended to watch TV. Children should be encouraged to take part in fun activities with the family members or even on their own which will involve more activity (American Heart Association, Inc., 2014).