Childhood obesity has more serious future health implications than most parents think.

Studies from University of Surrey, UK found increased arterial damage in obese children. The arterial damage aggravates the chances of that child suffering from cardiovascular disease in its adult life.

Researchers have established that obese children are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Childhood BMI is also a predictor of adult hypertension, asthma, hepatic steatosis, sleep apnea and arthritis.

Whereas the popular perception in Indian families is that plump child is a healthy child. Which is incorrect. Childhood obesity is something that we need to address an protect the child from unhealthy adult life with life threatening consequences.

How can we do it?

These tips may help you prevent weight gain while your child enjoys its food and eating time.

1. Respect your child’s appetite. Human bodies right from infancy are tuned to recognise when they are full. So children do not have to finish everything on their plate, or finish the entire bottle.
2. Do not reward completion of meals with sweet desserts. This will subconsciously script a child’s mind into believing that eating is hard work but you are rewarded for finishing it, in the end.
3. Make his or her favourite food healthier. You don’t have to ask your child to avoid his or her favorite food. That will induce craving. Instead, the recipes that your family enjoys, with just a few changes, can be healthier and just as satisfying.

For instance, if your child loves Biryani, no point in asking him or her not to eat it because Rice makes you put on weight if eaten in large quantities. Just replace the rice with dalia or broken wheat. This tastes good and is much healthier.

4. Enjoy physical activities as a family, such as walking, swimming and playing outdoor games. Pre-school to primary school children should do three hours exercise a day once they can walk. Five to 18 year olds are encouraged to do an hour to several hours a day of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. Three days a week this should include vigorous intensity activities to strengthen muscle and bone.
5. Reduce Sedentary Time: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television viewing for children age 2 or younger. In fact TV is bad for all ages.

Although quiet time for reading and homework is fine, limit the time your children watch television, play video games, or surf the web to no more than 1 hour per day.

If you want to learn more about healthy diet for your child and family, you may please ask for an appointment with our Dietitian. Call us at  +91 22 2888 6666.

Ask a child what the most vital organ of the human body is. Child will tell you it is the Heart.

Ask a mother when she first felt the gush of life within her womb. She will tell you it is when she first sensed her baby’s heartbeat.

Ask a spurned lover what the most painful experience of all is. He will tell you it is the pangs of a heart ache.

Anatomically, Physiogically, Emotionally – the Heart is the core of our being.

It is not that we don’t know it. But often we ignore it.

So, while we do well to feed our stomachs with delicious food and feed our senses with interesting stimulants, we forget to give our heart what it needs to remain healthy.

Did you know that India is set to soon become the Global Capital of Heart Disease?

Nearly two million people are dying each year in India due to heart problems and a large number of them are youngsters.

Obesity and lifestyle choices are proven to be the underlying cause of a large number of those cases of heart disease.

Obesity is not just the weight on your body. It is also the weight on your Heart. Increased fat around the waist increases the risk of Cardiovascular ailments.

Obesity is determined by calculating the BMI or Body Mass Index of the person.

Eg :  if one’s height is 175 cm and weight is 70 kg, the BMI would be calculated as follows :-

BMI = 70 / (1.75 * 1.75) = 22.86

 

When one’s BMI is 30 or more, one is said to be Obese.

And when BMI is more than 37.5, patients qualify for Bariatric surgery subject to certain conditions.

There are many ways to lose weight but there is only one sceintifically validated way to sustain weight loss over long term. It is Bariatric Surgery.

Bariatric Surgery is a scientifically proven, tried and tested treatment for obesity. Known also as Weight Loss or Obesity Surgery, it is a procedure to induce long term weight loss particularly amongst those for whom other weight loss measures have not worked.

Bariatric surgery involves reducing the actve size of the patient’s stomach with the help of a gastric band also known as a lap-band. Alternatively, a part of the stomach is surgically removed. In one more type of surgery, food pathway is rerouted.

All these three options in Bariatric surgery result in reduction of food intake or less absortpition of fat and sugars or both, to help long term weight loss. Your Doctor will advise which of these three options are best for you.

Post the bariatric procedure, one is required to have small frequent meals. As the stomach size is reduced, one tends to feel full with smaller quantities. The food intake will thereby reduce on its own.

The impact of bariatric surgery becomes apparent within the first few weeks of surgery.

The procedure is performed through laparoscopy i.e. through the key-hole method. This involves minitature incisions. As a result, there will be no major scars of surgery and recovery is painless and quick compared to open surgery.

Bariatric Surgery involves risk just like any other surgery. But it is important to understand that as with any other surgery, the surgeon’s skill and expertise reduce the risk involved.

The success of a surgery and the patient’s experience depends mostly on the experience, skill and expertise of the surgeon. It is therefore necessary that one approaches a top bariatric centre with vast experience in performing batiatric and laparoscopic surgeries.

Apart from Heart Disease, Obesity is associated with increased risk of several physical health disorders including diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, arthritis, infertility, sleep apnea and thyroid amongst others.

It is also a major cause of mental and psychological problems like Depression, Anxiety, etc. caused due to social seclusion and isolation.

Bariatric Surgery may be the answer to end your battle with Obesity and the multifarious problems that come along with it.