Causes of obese children

October 1, 2020October 1, 2020 Admin

Children become obese due to family traits rather than genetic factors

With time sitting still increasing and availability and consumption of food rising; we have no choice but to implement healthier food and more physical activity in order to combat child obesity

In the US, the majority of adults are overweight or obese, with more than 50 percent suffering fro diabetes or what is referred to as pre-diabetic conditions

This means that out of 209 million adults as of 2020, a minimum of 105 million are carrying dangerous amounts of body fat, and 52,5 million either already have diabetes or are well on their way getting it

But where does it all start, and what causes it?

Turns out, it starts in childhood

For more information on sheer numbers on childhood obesity, we advise that you read more about this in our article “How many children die from obesity?“

Moving on, we will focus on the major contributors to children ending up as overweight and discuss mitigating solutions

Childhood obesity is a new trend

According to the American Psychological Association, only 13 percent of adults in the U.S and a maximum of 7 percent of children were obese in the 1970s

So what happened in 50 years where one out of five children (14% of 2-5-year-olds, 18,5% of 6-11-year-olds, and 20,5% of 12-19-year-olds are now obese?

Please note that we are not talking overweight here, we are discussing obesity – potentially leading to several life-threatening conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Diabetes

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, close to half the jobs in 1960 required physical activity, whereas in 2010 – less than 20 percent. This means that we spend fewer calories at work, which would be fine if we had not also altered our eating habits into eating not only more, but also increasing the sugar intake

And the result?

While an American man in 1960 on average weighed 169 pounds, the number for 2006 was 202 pounds – a hefty increase with an abundance of accompanying lifestyle diseases

Why would this be any different for children?

Contributors to childhood obesity

With technological advances, we all need to move less than before. So obesity is not a result of genes or biology, It is, however; a direct result of eating more and moving less

Combine this with a culture promoting inactivity and high dense calories being readily available, and we have a recipe for disaster

If we had introduced a limited intake of calories in tune with reduced activity for children, obesity would not be a major problem. However, children sit still for increasingly longer periods, with the average American now spending 55% of their time sitting down

And what better than adding some sugary, calorie-dense foods into the mix, ensuring an insulin spike in your child which regain leads to the body storing the energy as fat?

Children in the 1960s did not sit in front of a television or computer for 4 hours on average every day as opposed to now… Inevitably, we will gain fat

Now, many doctors have become too polite and blame genetic factors for children being obese. However, this is very rare, and in most cases, unhealthy eating and a lack of physical activity are to blame

This again has a strong correlation with the family of the child being overweight, directly linked to poor eating habits and little or no physical activity

So the answer becomes quite simple, as the following is true for both children and adults:

If we eat more than we need, our body reacts with establishing extra fat cells in order for us to have a storage of calories available to use as energy in case of hard times. However, we do no longer (at least in the Western world) experience long periods without food or starvation, and in tune with children taking in more calories than they spend… obesity enters

How can obesity in children be avoided?

No doubt, children are influenced by their immediate surroundings and as such, it is you as a primary caretaker and provider of norms that must take the lead in the process of ensuring a healthy weight for your child

There is no silver bullet here and no easy way of buying your way out of this because patterns must be formed and behavior must be shaped in order for them to stay healthy as adults

Not an easy task, when considering most families consist of both parents working full time and the stress of modern life

However, prioritize the below pointers and take one step at a time – make it a fun process and rest ensured that it definitely will contribute to you coming closer to your child and perhaps reconnect in lost arenas:

Start making meals together, and make it a habit to bring the child when shopping for food. Of course, this needs to be a fun activity, not a chore -and there are plenty of ways of doing this. Personally, I’d rather make my son’s favorite meal in order for him to participate – as I cannot expect him to participate in making a meal he does not like

One way or another, you will need to become more physically active yourself. Now, do not expect your child to come along if jogging or doing some other “boring” activity, but it will surely enhance your fitness and enable you to go play soccer, play tennis, or do sprints for that matter. The important thing here is your child observing you getting the results you want from training, and then for you to participate in an arena that they are comfortable in

The easiest way to become a “cool” mom or dad for a 10-year-old? Impress them with your physical abilities and take part in activities that are fun for them. You’ll be amazed at how much more energy you’ll have to motivate your child into joining you in physical activities, even after only a few months of exercising

Plan family activities that include physical activity. Now, do not prohibit bringing a smartphone and by all means; allow your child to bring friends. Myself, I often “trick” my son into a long hike by simply stating that we’ll bring a hammock that he can rest in and “surf” while I’m out gathering firewood and preparing the camp. Remember -It’s supposed to be fun and relaxing

If your child is overweight, please remember that taking them to a swimming pool or to the beach may not be an ideal option. Children are self-aware and may feel uncomfortable in some situations or activities where their shortcomings are being publicly displayed

Inform your children that you want to do something physical, but provide them with some choices and remember that the overall goal here is to establish healthy and repeating habits that make them feel good and promotes developing into healthy adolescents

Try reducing the time you are passive, and in particular, try to avoid combining screen time with mealtime. This can be difficult at the start (especially since you should set an example with yourself in order for them to copy your behavior). However, in time you’ll find yourself using food as a well-deserved reward after physical activity rather than just reaching for it whenever you are bored in front of the TV… And the children will follow

Last, but most important; remember that the activities should not be result oriented – they must be fun. It’s perfectly ok to push the child and instill competitiveness in them, but please remember that this is a long-term endeavor that should be viewed as something positive. Fair warning then, to all alpha fathers; that it does not matter how long you throw the ball or how fast you get up the hill, as long as you do it together and it becomes a regular and enjoyable activity

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