The problem of obesity among children - an important role of the movement

Obesity is considered an epidemic of the XNUMXst century, due to its large and growing worldwide distribution. According to WHO (World Health Organization) data, the number of obese children over 5 and adolescents has increased since 1975 from 11 million to 124 million in 2016, an additional 213 million are overweight.

In European countries, overweight and obesity occur in one in four children and teenagers of school age. On the other hand, in Poland, based on the available studies, it can be determined that the problem of overweight and obesity affects about 10% of young children (1-3 years), 30% of early school age children and almost 22% of adolescents up to 15 years of age.

Obesity development - factors

Obesity is the result of a disturbed balance between the amount of energy consumed with food and its consumption. The development of obesity is a long-term process in which the role of play? both genetic predispositionAnd environmental factors.

Genetic factors

Genetic factors playing a role? in the development of obesity relate to: rregulation of metabolism, fat tissue storage and its breakdown in the body. Genetic tendencies in a person, do not always have to lead? to the development of obesity. They only mean that the person should pay more attention? to follow a healthy lifestyle, especially a rational diet and an appropriate dose of physical activity.

They play a very important role health behaviors in childhood and adolescence. Lack of physical activity in childhood may affect the development of childhood obesity, and exercise is designed to eliminate this risk by developing healthy habits. When the weight of our child exceeds the norm, apart from a proper diet, it is worth thinking about, for example, exercises for overweight children.

Environmental factors

The family, being the most important environment of a child's life, shapes his eating behavior and ways of spending free time. The way of eating is influenced by many elements, such as: taste preferences, eating behavior, including eating meals together. It has been shown that children who frequently consume meals with parents, eat eat more regularly, eat more often fruits and vegetables. Is said to be? even about "inheriting the way you eat." This phenomenon consists in the transmission of habits, manner, quantity and quality of food consumed in the family. Interestingly, it was also found that both obese adults and obese children ate much faster than they did before. and less with?uja? foods, compared to slim people.

The risk of obesity and the age of the child

According to many studies, childhood and adolescence are critical periods in the development of obesity. Obesity, even significant, occurring in early childhood does not always lead to overweight in adulthood, but it should be borne in mind that it is aggravating factor.

Researchers emphasize? also?, the influence of the child's birth weight on the occurrence of overweight and obesity in the future. Metabolic changes in the fetal period associated with, for example, overfeeding or vice versa, maternal malnutrition or dysfunction placenta, by increasing fetal insulin levels, can influence? on the increased risk of obesity in later years of a child's life. Particularly susceptible to excessive fat gains are infants born with large mass? but also with too low body weight after birth (so-called dystrophic). A factor that can potentially protect against obesity? is breast-feeding. In the light of research, the longer the duration of breastfeeding, the lower the risk of overweight. Breastfed baby? for 9 months, compared to a child who has never been breastfed, has over 30% lower risk of being overweight.

Child obesity and exercise

The main factors influencing the development of obesity are:

• low physical activity;
• more time spent in front of the TV, computer;
• consuming products that are harmful to health.

In studies conducted in the USA, it was found that longer time spent in front of the TV was associated with more frequent consumption of unhealthy products (chips, sweet carbonated drinks, fast-food meals), and therefore had an impact on the development of overweight and obesity. Meanwhile, movement should be permanently included in the everyday life of every human being - from an early age.

In children and adolescents, for the assessment of normal growth and weight gain, we use so-called centile grids. The most frequently used weight-height indicator is BMI (Body Mass Index). This indicator is calculated according to the following formula:

BMI = weight in kilograms/height? bodies in meters (to the second power)².

We recognize overweight when the BMI value is above the 95th percentile on the percentile grids, and obesity - above the 97th percentile.

The dangers of obesity in children

Obesity can lead to many abnormalities - already? in childhood. It can also be the beginning of diseases that will develop myself? in young adults. In order to prevent this, for example in the case of abdominal obesity in children, exercise should become an inseparable element of a healthy lifestyle.

Disorders that can develop as a result of obesity include:

• lipid disorders;
• carbohydrate metabolism disorders with diabetes mellitus type 2, insulin resistance;
• hypertension;
• fatty liver;
• Polycystic ovary syndrome;
• sleep apnea;
• osteoarticular disorders related to bone and muscle overload;
• emotional disorders;
• greater predisposition to cancer in adulthood.

It is worth emphasizing that overweight and obesity among children is also associated with with a higher risk of psychosocial and emotional problems, antisocial behavior or disorders attention, problems in relationships with peers, low self-esteem and learning problems, as well as depression.

Time for healthy changes with BeActiveKID!

In connection with the growing problem of obesity among the young generation and the resulting dangers, it was created a nationwide program by Ewa Chodakowska called BeActiveKID!whose content partner is Institute of Mother and Child.  The main mission of the program is to promote physical activity and a healthy lifestyle in the target group - children and adolescents, with adequate support for those who work with young people on a daily basis, such as physical education teachers.

Participation in the program is free. The project participants have at their disposal a package of materials, positively assessed by experts of the Institute of Mother and Child, containing substantive content and films with original exercises, allowing for making physical education classes in schools more attractive. Thus, encouraging children to participate actively - that is, exercise.

Both Ewa Chodakowska and the Institute of Mother and Child, whose role is to fight for the health and life of children every day, warmly encourage you to participate in the project. It's time to start a healthy fight for a new, healthier reality. More about the BeActiveKID program! You will find here. Get started today!

Literature:

1.http: //www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood_what/en/
2. http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood_consequences/en
3. Dietz WH. Health consequences of obesity In youth: childhood predictors of adult disease. Pediatrics 1998, 101 (Suppl 3): 518-525
4. Han JC, Lawlor DA, Kimm SYS, Childhood obesity, The Lancet, 2010, Volume 375, No. 9727, 1737-1748, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60171-7
5. Mazur J., Dzielska A., Małkowska-Szkutnik A. Health and health behaviors of 17-year-old students against the background of changes in the second decade of life. Institute of Mother and Child, 2020
6. Oblacin?ska A.: Critical periods for excessive weight gain in developmental age. [W]: Oblacin?ska A, Weker H (eds.): Prevention of obesity in children and adolescents. From birth to adulthood. ed. Help-Med. Cracow 2008
7. International research report WHO, European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). Overweight and obese in Polish 8-year-olds in the light of the conditions biological, behavioral and social. red. Fijalkowska A. Oblacińska A. Stalmach M. 2017