Childhood Obesity -Steps to prevention

It has been decades now that we have all been noticing the prevalence of obesity increase more and more in virtually all communities and all countries around the world.  Although I have not been able to return home in a few years, I know that the situation in my beloved islands of Antigua and Saint Lucia is no different. With the increasing popularity of video games, phone games, social media updating, texting, streaming and binge watching of televisions shows, sedentary lifestyle has become; “the way of life”.

Risk factors for obesity are often evident in even very early childhood. I have occasionally been met with objection from parents, but there are a few simple things that can go a long way in preventing or at the least delaying the onset of obesity in the childhood period.

Many children very rarely drink water with their meals or even at any point during the day. In fact, there are many parents who report to me that their children simply “don’t like water” and choose to substitute their liquid intake with juice, believing that this will suffice. There is a misconception that juices we find on the counters in the supermarket will have enough water and nourishment for the child. Contrary to popular belief, these juices for the most part have little to no nutritional value and are riddled with excess sugars. In comparison, water aids in absorption, assists in preventing over-eating, improves overall organ function and helps to maintain regular bowel movements. Carbonated beverages have absolutely no part in a child’s diet.

The second topic which I usually address with parents is the amount of “screen time” that a child has each day. “Screen time” refers literally to the amount of time spent in front of any type of screen. This includes cell phones, video games, laptops, desktops, tablets and televisions. This is particularly a difficult problem to address with the implementation of computer and tablet use in some schools and with the presence of cell phones, which children at all ages seem to have now. There are many worldwide studies which suggest that excessive screen time (particularly greater than 2 hours a day for young children) is linked to hyperactivity, in-attentiveness, increase frequency of seizures in children with known seizure disorder, decreased physical activity, poor social skills and OBESITY to name a few. I completely understand the difficulty parents have with this seemingly impossible challenge; however there are a few steps one can take in the right direction. Firstly, there is no need for a television in a child’s bedroom.  You may not have much control over “screen time” during the day, particularly in an older child or teenager, but you can make a difference in the evening hours. The two hours directly before bedtime should be completely “screen free”. Not only will the child fall asleep earlier, once this is instituted as a regular regimen, but their sleep will also be of a better quality. This will result in more energy for physical activity, a better mood, less irritability as well as an improved academic performance.  These two hours can be filled with many other “non-screen” activities, such as reading a book, expressive writing, or simply talking and being updated by your child about activities in school and sports.

These two simple steps: Step 1) an increase in water intake with elimination of unnatural juices and Step 2) limitation of screen time, both make a big difference. These steps may seem very basic to some, or almost impossible to other parents, but it can be done, and I have never had a parent who truly adhered to these steps, not see positive results.