By: Syed Izhan Ahmed

Introduction

It is pretty common to find Pakistani parents encouraging their kids to eat as much as they could possibly stuff in them since parents find their chubby round-cheeked babies to be adorable and cute, what they don’t understand is that the extra fat on the child’s body can actually prove to be a serious health threat. A major portion of children in Pakistan suffers from obesity without the parents even acknowledging the problem and understanding its severe consequences. Obesity does not only affect a child’s physical health condition but also affects their mental state as children that suffer from obesity are often subjected to bullying or being fat-shamed which creates a negative self of their body and leads to anxiety and depression.

Obesity Prevails in Urban areas

The problem of obesity is found to more prevalent in the urban cities of Pakistan. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), research conducted in the city of Hyderabad, Pakistan, showed that almost 12% of the overall children attending schools were found to be over-weight. Obesity was found to be more prevalent in boys as compared to girls and the most common factors that caused obesity were either poor physical activities or a middle-class socioeconomic status. In Pakistan, it is relatively common for middle or higher-class people found mainly in the urban areas to be obese due to overeating habits simply because they have can afford more food. This concept is further reflected on the youngsters of the family that are fed as much as they can possibly eat. There is a general misconception that eating more reflects to a healthy body as fat is generally considered a healthy sign whereas a slim person is considered to be physically weak. In Pakistan, an estimated 15% to 20% of children are found to be obese whereas in low-income cities, only 6% to 19% children suffer from obesity due to low availability of food supply.

Health Concerns related to Obesity

As the field of medicine develops, people have become more aware of the health problems such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, Gallbladder diseases and even death in certain cases, that come along with obesity in adults. However, the people of Pakistan have only recently acknowledged the growing health problems in overweight children as they start showing symptoms of health problems caused due to fat. High blood pressure and high cholesterol in children caused due to excessive fat can lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Obese children are also more vulnerable to breathing problems such as asthma along with weak bones and joints. Depression caused due to a low self esteem also produces further psychological problems due to increased stress levels at an early age.

How to Avoid Obesity

The first and foremost action to prevent obesity amongst children is to acknowledge and identify the problem in the first place. If a child seems overweight, the parents should immediately consult a doctor to verify whether the child’s weight is suitable according to his/her age and height. On the other hand, parents could also conduct a self-analysis of the child’s weight by using the Body Mass Index (BMI) that is one of the most basic and easy to use methods of checking a person’s weight. BMI tables and online BMI calculators make it simple to simple insert the required body and weight values in the relevant fields that allows individuals to determine whether they are over or under weight. Once the child’s BMI is calculated, effective targets could be set that would allow the consultants to effectively measure the progress of the child’s weight once they start working on weight reduction programs and help the child achieve the recommended BMI value. It should be noted that parents should steer away from all drugs that offer a faster and easier way out of obesity and focus on natural ways to reduce their child’s weight. Parents must focus on maintaining the child’s current weight as their bodies develop and grow instead of reducing weight, and the most effective way to achieve this is to change the diet plans of the child and encourage them to eat healthier low calorie- high nutrient meals and avoid excessive junk food and high fat treats. Furthermore, the child should be encouraged to involve in physically straining activities such as cycling or playing sports and other outdoor activities.

Conclusion

Childhood obesity is a growing concern that is cheaper to prevent than it is to cure. Pakistan is no exception to the growing problems of obesity and It is safe to state that obesity can be directly linked to the literacy rate of a country, where people don’t think rationally and form eating habits according to the supply of food, they have access to. Concerned health authorities should take responsive actions in order to create public awareness and protect the youth from being more vulnerable to severe health problems.