We continue with our Special on Infant Feeding in Babies and more and today we are going to deal with a topic of enormous importance, in whose ciprevention a correct nutrition, added to healthy lifestyle habits, is essential: childhood obesity.
Obesity and overweight in adults is a true epidemic that is related to many diseases: diabetes, cardiovascular problems and cancer. In children, although the rates are lower, if they are increasing very disturbingly.
Overweight children They are more likely to develop obesity in adulthood and health problems are also greater if adult obesity has been preceded by this same problem in childhood. Prevention is indispensable and food is one of the bases of this prevention. And Spain is one of the countries with the highest rates of childhood obesity.
Causes of childhood obesity
Obesity has an undoubted genetic component that is increasingly known. But, although some obesities do have this cause, it is usually a problem with multiple causes. Genetic predisposition does not explain the obesity epidemic, but our habits of life and nutrition do.
The intake of calories greater than the energy spent is one of the most obvious causes, which, together with nutritional imbalance and a diet that increases blood sugar due to poor food choices and an incorrect distribution of these throughout the day, seem explain this well widespread increase in developed countries of childhood obesity.
The excess of sweets and fats of bad quantity, the goodies and industrial pastries, the junk food and the precooked ones suppose a dietary problem that can only be fought with a change in the nutritional habits: increase fruits, vegetables, whole foods and low-fat meats They would be a simple way to fight obesity.
But, as I said, this problem has a second cause: lack of exercise. We tend to think that increasing sports classes can solve this inactivity, but the solution would be, rather, that children have more free time and adequate spaces to play, run, climb and enjoy outdoors.
Consequences of childhood obesity
There are some health problems are related to childhood obesity: Type II diabetes, increased cholesterol and triglyceride levels, precocious puberty, arterial disorders, sleep apnea and liver disorders. In addition, we cannot ignore that obesity is related to psychological and social problems such as low self-esteem and peer rejection. Obesity itself determines that the causes of obesity increase, since the overweight child develops poorly reversible bad eating habits and has greater problems to develop adequate physical activity.
Further, Obesity that begins in childhood will have more serious consequences than the one that begins in adult life. In the long run, the problems of negative self-image, social stigma and also the problems of heart, atherosclerosis, diabetes and other metabolic problems will have higher rates in adult life if the subject has been an obese child. Life expectancy is lower in obese children.
Prevent obesity
Preventing childhood obesity is a public health priority but it seems that the measures taken are not managing to change the tendency to increase this problem. There are preventive measures that can be taken, but they should add to a social change that puts the priorities back in place: children with more free time and more present parents to accompany them and cities designed for children and people in general, not For cars or business.
Breastfeeding and other considerations about babies
It has been shown that breastfeeding is an important prevention factor. Public campaigns, institutional measures that allow breastfeeding without hindrance and exclusively up to six months would be very desirable. Also, it is necessary to banish the idea that the bottle feeds the same and ensure that mothers have the opportunity to continue breastfeeding their children until at least two years would be very useful complementary measures.
One of the most critical moments for the development of childhood obesity is what happens between birth and the first year of life. As long as society and health workers remain committed to that children should be chubby To be healthy there will be no change in the perception of what is suitable for a child.
Nutritional measures
It is essential, as I will say several times throughout the article, take nutritional measures: Avoid sweets, goodies, soft drinks, milkshakes, industrial juices and pre-cooked food or garbage. Once a month is more than enough, as something special.
Proteins should be ingested daily, but in their proper measure and adequate rations, always complemented with vegetables, fruits and legumes. Likewise, cereals that are eaten should preferably be whole grains and, in general, use suitable hydrates, which are called slow absorption (whole grains, vegetables and fruits), and not refined white flours and sugar, which are they are related to a rise in blood glucose index, causing hypoglycemia that only increases hunger and fatigue.
Fat is essential in nutrition, but you must avoid its excess and prioritize monounsaturated fat, such as olive oil or fish fats, eliminating as much as possible the fat from pastries, sausages and industrial ice cream.
The children's diet should include a majority of cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes and vegetables. Add low fat and dairy proteins, but in their right proportion. Use low fat culinary techniques such as roast or cooked, avoiding fried foods, and always using olive oil when we want to add a fat. Making our desserts, biscuits, natural yogurts, breads, hamburgers, pizzas and ice cream would be the best way to offer these foods, avoiding industrial preparations.
Although these tips are valid for everyone, they are especially important if there is a tendency to obesity in the family or if the child is full. A thin child can eat more buns than one who is overweight, but usually it is the other way around.
Other prevention measures in childhood
In my opinion, in addition to campaigns, it is necessary to carry out real changes that, for example, limit the advertising of infant food and industrial sweets, prohibit gifts and toys with the purchase of food and improve school menus dramatically.
The limitation of the hours that children remain without moving would be indispensable. Not only do I talk about watching TV or playing with the computer, or being with parents more time playing and walking. The reform of our education system is basic. More active schools, more patio hours, preventing punishments without a playground, and eliminating homework in Primary would be measures in which the school could positively influence an improvement in obesity rates by allowing more hours of child play.
Parents, of course, should ensure the feeding of their children, get involved by setting an example with a healthy diet and also avoid sedentary family leisure activities. But parents need conciliation measures true, which are, not those that extend school hours, but those that allow more free hours with children.
The pediatric It can be a support in prevention, explaining the problems of sweets, soft drinks, sweets, pastries and precooked foods, to get them offered to children only at parties or very specific moments, not as a daily option. But the pediatrician should start his work when the child is a baby, encouraging breastfeeding, recommending a natural diet without industrial preparations for babies and not pressing for children to gain weight if they are healthy but thin.
Final mention I think drinks deserve. Industrial shakes and juices, which, as I recall, were a drink given to children on a daily basis or included in their snack for school, are not beverages suitable for children on a regular basis. To drink, the best is water.
With a combination of nutritional measures and changes in life habits, at leisure, at work and at school, changes that really make it easier for children to have more time and adequate places to play if you can prevent childhood obesity.
