Obesity happens not just to individuals aged 35 to 40 years, but to younger people as well, usually during the time when people become less active physically. It can also be experienced by kids. At the age of 12 or 15 years, or younger than that age range in some cases, obese kids tend to be more likely to be diabetic as they cross over to adolescence.
If not curbed, children with borderline obesity bear the brunt of complications or health risks that carry over into adulthood.
What parents should remember is that no child is obese alone. They can stay obese most of their lives, given hardly any support from elders, or who equate being overweight with being well-fed.
Today, childhood obesity has grown to alarming proportions, owing to the sedentary lifestyles and propensity of new-generation kids for junk foods and sugary foods containing empty calories. It has become a public health issue.
One of the big problems created by obesity is the heightened risk for developing diabetes as well as other common `adult’ ailments like high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
What’s a parent to do then?
The body mass index serves as reasonable indicator of body fatness in children and teens, so parents need to know this.
The whole family can get into the habit of whipping up or bringing home healthier foods like fresh fruits and vegetables and natural food products. Discipline in eating is the key to curbing obesity and diabetes.
Use healthy food substitutes for fattening ingredients when cooking.
Portion control is one of the ways parents can help kids overcome obesity.
Serving low-glycemic foods help keep blood sugar levels stable and can make kids feel fuller for a longer time between mealtimes. By training (not castigating) kids not to overeat, you help them overcome obesity.
Note that childhood obesity may stem from emotional overeating. A negative body image, aggravated by cruel teasing by other people, can drive children to overeat. In such a case, helping the obese child develop the right mental attitude with proper encouragement is crucial.
Obese kids must also be encouraged to exercise at least an hour each day. Inactivity often leads to weight gain.
Healthcare experts recommend striving to keep body mass index to a level below 85 percent through 60 minutes of exercise several times a week. It can be worth the effort, considering that being obese early on in life sets in motion the onset of serious diseases.
To help kids in the family overcome obesity, remember that it all boils down to gradually changing the family’s eating habits for the better, and allotting time for physical activity.
Diabetics may be triggered by genetics, environment, a health disorder, and poor eating habits. Consuming too much carbohydrates, sugars and starches can have an impact on how much glucose is produced.
Eating foods with protein and healthy fat can slow absorption of glucose in the bloodstream, thereby preventing insulin spike and drop. In other words, if you and other family members tend to be on the hefty side and predisposed to diabetes, eat healthier foods and ditch processed ones that make the body work harder in digesting it.
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