BREAKING THE CYCLE OF CHILDHOOD

A parent’s guide to healthy habits:

For the last couple of decades childhood obesity has emerged as a major problem for the parents and the doctors. To a large extend advertisements use irresistible selling techniques to attract the children to ask for unhealthy snacks, food and candies- they see in shops as they are displayed with eye catching wrappers. Companies dealing with food products keep aside large budgets to lure the target audience through advertisements and pop ups on billboards. And to add to the problem they add addictive flavours which make you crave for the similar taste and that becomes a major cause for unhealthy consumption of food resulting in obesity.

Effects of childhood obesity

If you check up the records at the pediatrician clinic it would be a shocking revelation that many children have heart disease or are dangerously overweight, have stomach issues or severe allergies. Parents are worried lot today as far as overweight children are concerned.

Causes of Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity can have multiple ramifications. Some major problems are:
• Hypertension breathing problems;
• Asthmatic conditions
• Sleep apnea,
• Diabetes,
• On set of early puberty,
• Mood swings,
• Lack of being self assured,
• Being victim of teasing and bullying.
Sedentary lifestyle with remote control for all the gadgets involving less and less physical effort. Delicate upbringing and to top of it all AQI level, heat waves and cold waves prevent you from doing genuine and regular physical exercises in the natural surroundings or open air.

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Overweight and obesity

There are number of causes for being overweight or an obese but some main causes are that our diet has become nutrient poor. Also because too many genetically modified techniques of growing crops has depleted the nutrients from the soil.

Secondly these days’ people have started consuming too much processed food which has very few nutrients and fibres many preservatives added to it makes us more susceptible to heart disease and diabetes and the other related coronary and nervous ailment.

Another cause of obesity in children is undue stress caused by over exposure to the electronics. With ready to eat meals and packaged food we are adding artificial flavours there by killing natural taste which subsequently makes us unwell, plump and gives us pangs of hunger. With perfectly waxed and beautiful looking fruits and vegetables that are available even without season are easy and attractive to eyes but not nutritious. That leaves us hungry even after consuming the meal so we resort to satisfying our sweet tooth and have desserts that are sugary and unhealthy in long run.

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Prevention of obesity

Genetic obesity
Our genes are also our inheritance and this factor affects the child even in the womb. Undoubtedly some chronic diseases are genetic but health issues of children can be taken care of to some extent if the parents are regular in exercise and work etc.
Simple things to remember if one parent is obese there is a good chance of the child being obese. If Both parents are obese the chance of the child being obese further heightens and if the child is obese during adolescent years he/ she is most likely to be obese during the adult years.

One can break the chain if the expecting mother exercises regularly, keep a check on the body mass index and be cautious about having a balanced diet.

Break the chain
One can break the chain, if the expecting pregnant mom exercises regularly, keep check on the body mass index and is cautious about eating healthy food.
Childhood obesity prevention-sets a good example as parents who lead a healthy lifestyle and regularly involves in Jogging, walking, dancing, and exercising, on a regular basis.
Make it habit forming to work out on a daily basis. We can make a goal as parents to balance what is going on with our child’s health biologically and environmentally and of course children learn best through emulating examples of the adults.

What school can do– As teachers of JBM SMART START – the best school in Greater Noida, we know our responsibility and give diet tips to the parents on a monthly basis.
To the extent we plan their monthly menu for the lunch Tiffin trying to balance it with seasonal veggies and fruits. We need to be a support system to our children and their families to make them less susceptible to obesity.

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Major causes of childhood obesity

1. Family whether nuclear or joint and their usual eating pattern and exercise habits impact children.
2. Diet patterns of particular culture.
3. Effect of the food industry and advertising.
4. Imbalance of hormones.

5. Usage of certain medicines or steroids.

Though the reasons stated above are few but this leads to physical and psychological complications like child being under confident, fidgety, self conscious, feel inferior, susceptible to bully or being bullied.

Early interventions by both family and school and the teacher’s concern can control the situation. That is why; at JBM SMART START we regularly organize seminars by the dieticians on our panel and give dietary advice, menu and even recipes to the parents. We have few renowned hospitals on our panel that are available with their experts to give advice and of course, intention of raising healthy students.

We are intent for any kind of dietary advice for the toddlers, Pre schoolers and adolescents, you are welcome to consult as per your convenience.