Abstract: Childhood obesity is on the rise. Let’s check what the following statistics sourced from the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism say :
- Somewhere between 5.74 per cent and 8.82 per cent of schoolchildren in India are obese.
- In urban south India, 21.4 per cent boys and 18.5 per cent girls aged 13-18 are either overweight or obese.
Introduction
Worldwide, in the year 2000, the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) declared about 10 per cent of children aged 5-17 (about 155 million) were overweight, out of which two to three per cent (30 to 45 million) were obese.
Among the reasons for childhood obesity were processed foods, fast foods, and foods that don’t unfortunately love your child back as much as your child loves them. Add that to the fact outdoor activities have been replaced by digital ones, and you have a scenario where children are eating more calories than they can expend.
Chubby child isn’t always a healthy one
There’s this notion that a chubby baby is a healthy one. But a baby only needs so much nutrition for growth and development, and the more fat a child stores, the greater the tendency to store fat as the child gets older.
Overweight children are far more likely to grow up to be overweight adults. Comprehensive studies over the years have made clear the linkage between obesity in children and corresponding obesity in adults. Likewise, research has also shown the link between overweight children and sick adults. Children who are obese are more at risk of developing various health issues like asthma, sleeping disorders. They develop hypertension and diabetes at an early age.
Homoeopathic remedies for Cravings for Junk food:
- Natrum mur: Useful for children who are depressed, tired and to keep away their boredom eat lots of salted junk food. They are intolerant to heat of sun.
- Calcarea Carb: Certain peculiar eating habits are also found in these children. The eating habits include craving for boiled eggs, and strange things like chalk, clay, pencils, lime etc. Due to a sluggish metabolic activity, the patients are almost always constipated. They are chilly constitutionally.
- Nux vomica: These children likes to eat spicy food, fatty food and stimulants like coffee or alcoholic drinks at an early age.
- Antimonium crud: Longing for acids and pickles and tend to eat beyond capacity. Gastric and intestinal affections: from bread and pastry; acids, especially vinegar; sour or bad wine; after cold bathing; over-heating; hot weather.
Dietary modifications for Childhood obesity:
Children should be encouraged –
- to eat fruits and vegetables
- to drink plenty of water
- to avoid fast-food
- to avoid food high in fat and calories
