Every early July, 4-10 JULY 2022, is celebrated as National Child Obesity Week 2022 in the United Kingdom. MAKUKU as a mother and child consultant pays attention to this issue. In Indonesia alone, the Ministry of Health reports, as many as 41 million children under the age of 5 years are overweight and obese.
The purpose of commemorating National is to educate the public about the dangers of obesity in children. How is the impact on children's health and look for ways to help overcome these challenges with the main target of this campaign being parents and schools.
Obesity is a condition in which the body has excess fat and it accumulates in such a way that it can cause negative effects on health. A person is said to be obese if their body mass index (BMI) is more than 30 kg/m2.
According to one data, one in three children in the UK is obese. Unfortunately, the problem of obesity in children has been around for a long time and continues to increase. Children who are obese are at high risk for type II diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. Departing from this, the National Obesity Forum and MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition and Do it) launched National Child Obesity Week in 2011. This community approach has proven successful in helping children learn to live a healthy lifestyle. It also shows the important role of the school in the success of the program.
Based on 2010 data, the obesity rate in children is fairly high, namely 14.1 percent at the age of 0-5 years, and 9.2 percent at the age of 6-12 years. As many as 2.5 percent of obesity cases are also experienced by children aged 13-15 years, as much as 1.4 percent at the age of 16-18 years, and 11.7 percent in those over 18 years. So, it can be concluded that the most obesity experienced by the age of toddlers.
5 Habits That Cause Obesity in Children
Seeing your little one with a chubby is very adorable. But the little one who is overweight or obese turns out to be a threat to children's health, such as chronic diseases. The ideal weight for your little one according to their age is as follows:
1 year old
- Girls: 7-11.5 kg
- Boys: 7.7-12 kg
2 years old
- Girls: 9-14.8 kg
- Boys: 9.7-15.3 kg
3 years old
- Girls: 10.8-18.1 kg
- Boys: 11.3-18.3 kg
4 years old
- Girls: 12.3-21.5 kg
- Boys: 12.7-21.2 kg
5 years old
- Girls: 13.7- 24.9 kg
- Boys: 14.1-24.2 kg
Most parents think that obesity in children is due to the habit of eating large portions. Though the cause of obesity in children is not only that. To prevent obesity in children, parents should start paying attention to their diet, activities and daily habits. The risk of obesity in children can increase due to the following five habits:
Genetics
Quoting from the Ministry of Health, obesity is a condition that can be inherited in families. That is, genetic factors also affect the risk of obesity in children. Keep in mind, this obesity gene can increase hunger in your little one so that he tends to eat more often. Even so, that does not mean that not all children who have members who are obese will also be obese in the future.
Eating habits
Habits of eating unhealthy foods can also trigger excess weight. Try to keep your child away from fast food and processed foods that tend to be high in fat and sugar but low in fiber. As well as foods that contain a lot of sugar and fat. Children who are picky eaters and only want to eat what they want are at risk of becoming overweight.
Lack of physical activity
Without realizing it now many children who do less physical activity. Especially now that many parents often provide gadgets instead of playing outside the home. Children who sit too much, watch tv for more than 5 hours also increase the risk of obesity.
Lack of sleep
In fact, children who lack sleep can interfere with their eating patterns. Lack of sleep can encourage your little one's body to eat more than normal. Plus, if your little one eats foods that can cause obesity. For that, mom and dad have to keep their little one's sleep needs fulfilled. Sleep time needed by children aged 1-3 years is 12-14 hours a day and children aged 3-5 years need 11-13 hours a day.
Do not regularly the weigh
weight of your child should be done regularly. To monitor and find out whether the growth of your little one is in accordance with his age or not. Mom and dad are still advised to weigh your little one even though your little one looks fat and healthy. Don't let your little one weigh more than the normal limit and parents don't take action to control their little one's weight. Weight that is too thin and too fat also has an impact on the health of your little one. (Aq/MKK)
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