How to Decrease Childhood Obesity

How to Decrease Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is one of the many problems that has become prevalent in current society. The number of overweight children keeps on increasing, with approximately 10% of the children between four to five years being overweight (Bullock et al., 2017). Female children experience high obesity levels as compared to their male counterparts. According to Ogden, 31% of the children in the US had weights that were considered unhealthy (Ogden et al., 2016).  Before looking into ways of reducing childhood obesity, it is necessary to find out what causes obesity.   Obesity starts when a child begins to gain a lot of weight during the early periods of development that extends to late periods of child development (Hussein, 2017) Traditionally; there were practices that helped to deal with the issue of obesity. However, medical practitioners have questioned such practices as they claim that they are not effective (Ziegler, 2016).

One of the significant causes of obesity is the consumption of foods that have a high content of calories (van der Val et al., 2019). Much of the food taken remains unused and becomes fat. Continuous intake of more food with limited exercise makes the body unable to but excess calories, which accumulates to add weight. Absence or minimal physical activities also contribute to the increased levels of obesity among children. Developing effective interventions that call for the participation of parents, schools, and government policies will help to reduce childhood obesity.

There are various strategies that one can apply to reduce childhood obesity. Parents and schools have a significant role in preventing the occurrence of obesity among children (Ward et al., 2017). Most parents are responsible for the daily foods that children eat while at home. Although most parents have no time to stay with their children as they are involved in other activities, they should create time to monitor the eating habits of their children. Parents should prepare foods with low-calorie foods for their children in all mealtimes. The preparation of low-calorie diet will help reduce the purchase of fast foods that contribute to high chances of developing obesity. Parents can also organize to have family-based programs where they engage their children in classes that provide extensive training, better diet and nutritional practices, and physical activities (Sing-Chang et al., 2013).

To affirm the effectiveness of family programs, Berge and other scholars engaged in a study where they reviewed various family-based programs. Out of the families they reviewed, more than 70% of these families showed a significant change in the body mass index of the child after engaging in various physical activities and engaging in dietary nutritional practices (Gollan, 2017).  The results of their studies showed changes in the diet taken and engaging in physical activities. According to Ling and other scholars, the presence of information and interactive learning with parents in nutrition and physical activities have a significant impact on the weight of a child (van de Kolk et al., 2019).

Such programs have a positive impact on families, which can make them change their lifestyles for the better. However, there is a specific program that has been established to fit a certain family, and it would be better to look at the results of the intervention, which offers satisfaction to the family (Hacioglu, 2019). Families can continue to participate in locally-based programs which are readily available as compared to seeking professional based programs (Haines et al., 2013).

Schools also have a role to play in reducing childhood obesity. Schools should reduce the quantity of sweetened sugary beverages that they offer to children (Malik et al., 2013). As the schools develop policies to reduce the level of intake of sugary foods for children, they should also create policies that ensure water availability in schools at all times (Mozaffarian et al. 2016). Increasing water availability in schools will encourage consumption and reduce the intake of sugary beverages. Additionally, water is essential in improving the level of hydration of the body (Khan, 2019). As the levels of hydration increase, it ensures that learning takes place smoothly. Apart from reducing the level of obesity, water will also help in preventing dental caries (Iheozor‐Ejiofor, 2015).

Creating mandatory physical exercises for children in school is another strategy that will help to prevent and reduce obesity. Children spend most of their time in school as compared to the time they spend at home. While in school, they survive on snacks and cold drinks with limited physical exercises (Reilly, 2018). in most schools, canteens sell foodstuffs that have a high content of calories with little nutritional value. The management of the school, together with the health sector and the parents can work together to develop a policy which prohibits snacks for children in school (Hussein, 2017). The school management can also plan and prevent the sale of snacks in schools for children.

Schools need to develop a substantive physical education program established as a course or subject in the school curriculum. This will enhance the participation of children in physical activities, which helps in reducing the likelihood of obesity (French, 2016). If schools establish a healthy eating program and regular eating culture that entails taking valuable nutritional foods. Concerning diet, schools need to develop specific standards that they should meet to ensure that they achieve a health curriculum. Such activities will significantly contribute to the reduction of obesity cases.

Using motivational interviewing is another approach or strategy that can help to reduce and prevent obesity. It involves counseling procedure that encourages family members to adopt healthy lifestyles (Rifas et al., 2017). In various studies carried out by Borello, regarding parent-childd interventions, He found out that motivational interviews have a significant impact in positively influencing and improving health behaviors (Luque et al., 2019). Other studies in motivational interviews indicated improvements that resulted in weight loss and reduction in the intake of high-calorie food. Such programs occur in an office set-up where a programming expert meets with a family member and then meets with a dietitian who helps the family to meet their nutritional goals and assist in making changes if a need occurs (Davoli, 2013).

In conclusion, the current society is established on poor healthy practices that contribute to increased rates of obesity among children. However, it is possible to control and reduce these levels. Engaging in better dietary practices, participating in physical exercises, implementation of right policies in schools, and engaging in a family health care program are some of the strategies that help alleviate obesity among children. Ending the problem of obesity is not possible with the interventions of a single individual. It requires the collaboration of the community and government agencies to work together to alleviate this health menace.

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