logo
logo
Sign in

Does Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle Helps in Preventing Obesity in Kids?

avatar
Maternity Hospital

Obesity is one of the leading problems in today’s scenario. Childhood obesity was initially thought to be a problem of developed countries; however, it is being currently reported in developing countries as well, particularly in the urban setting. Obesity has been found to be a major risk factor for development of diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart diseases and many more.

Overweight and obesity are preventable conditions, which can be stopped by adopting a combination of lifestyle modifications and physical activity. If you feel that your child might be obese, you can get him or her checked from any of the 24-hour clinics in Singapore. Most of the health facilities offer a variety of health screening packages in Singapore, which can detect any underlying abnormality as well. There are several risk factors for development of childhood obesity some of which are as given below.

Risk Factors for Childhood Obesity

• Physical inactivity– These days more and more kids spend their free time in front of a screen, be it a smart phone, television or a computer. The pattern of physical activity has changed over the years with less number of children actually preferring any sort of outdoor games on a daily basis. Spending at least 30-45 minutes on games daily has shown to reduce obesity among children.

• Dietary Pattern– Over the past few decades, the dietary patterns have changed worldwide. Several kids these days prefer to consume high energy foods such as carbonated beverages, sweets, chocolates, junk food like pizza, burgers etc. If the consumption of these food items are not limited, they also play an integral role in the development of obesity and overweight in children.

• Parental factors– Several studies have shown that the genetics also play a crucial role in development of obesity. If the parents are obese (either one or even both), then the risk of the child also developing the same is high as compared to children of parents with body mass in the normal range.

• Ethnicity – Various populations have been found to be at a higher risk of this issue. This holds particularly true for the South Asian countries, the reasons for which are yet to be identified. The residents of such regions, particularly children, need to pay extra attention to their life style in order to prevent being victims of obesity. You have the option of getting yourself checked through health screening packages in Singapore on a regular basis, so that you can keep a track of your body mass index.

Obesity has become a global health challenge with a greater number of children also becoming obese and overweight every year. This problem has many consequences on the health of the child as well as in adulthood also. It increases the risk of contracting several non-communicable diseases. It is therefore important to identify any child with this problem at the earliest so that with adequate life style modifications, his or her health can be maintained.

Sometimes, obesity can occur as a result of some underlying medical issues as well, most commonly hormonal imbalances. In such cases, it is always better to get your child thoroughly investigated at any of the 24-hour clinics in Singapore. Remember to take proper care of their health right in the childhood so that they can grow up to become healthy adults who can contribute meaningfully to the society.

collect
0
avatar
Maternity Hospital
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more