Health Articles

Childhood obesity can lead to some severe diseases in children, which can be detrimental for their health and will also lead to severe issues in their adult life. It has been seen that childhood obesity increases the risks of cardio vascular diseases in the later stages of life. Such people also suffer from early symptoms of diabetes and fluctuations in blood pressure. There are various other dangerous diseases, which may be caused if obesity levels are not controlled and the consumption of unhealthy foods are not restricted.

The number of overweight children has risen dramatically over the past two decades and the diseases, which had once been common diseases found in middle-aged adults, are being seen in children. These include the type “2″ diabetes, gallstones and liver failure, which are now prevalent in children and have been fatal in many cases. Children today are seen to be aging before their time and they are also showing symptoms of breathing disorders, sleep problems and bone-and-joint complications and hypertension.

It has been proven through researches that more than 34 percent of children in the U.S., between the ages of 6 – 19, are overweight. This has been revealed by the National Center for Health Statistics, which has also stated that these children are at greater risk of developing heart disease and cancer. It has been seen that obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe, if the problem of being over weight begins before age 8. Type “2″ diabetes, which had formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is now being seen in children.

Statistics reveal that 45 percent of new diagnoses of diabetes have been seen in children and adolescents. Unlike juvenile diabetes, which is mainly type 1, this type 2 diabetes is linked to weight and can be fatal if not controlled. The Future of Children and National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys show that almost 18% of the children in the U.S are obese. About 8% of the elementary schools have physical education classes while the others don’t. Almost 20% of the children consume more than four sodas a day.

Here the parents should realize they have the responsibility to alter the poor eating habits in their children and urge them to eat healthy. This can be done with just a few changes, and foods like macaroni and cheese or pizza, should be made healthier and can be cooked at home. Avoid refined flour and opt for whole wheat bread and pasta also the portion sizes need to be considered as well. Even the cereal should be checked for sugar and calorie content and only the required portion should be served.

You should also remove the calorie-rich temptations from home and these include ice creams, sodas and chocolates. Restrict these eating temptations to weekends and make sure that they get the same during weekends, or else they might steal and eat these foods or have them without your knowledge. These are some of the factors that parents should consider to ensure that their children eat healthy foods and are able to remain free from childhood obesity diseases.