Bhubaneswar: With the shifting in lifestyle patterns and food habits, many children from the state are now under the grip of obesity and associated lifestyle diseases. Doctors working in the sector claim they now see more obese kids in their clinics.
Many medical professionals claim that the obesity among kids can hamper their normal life span and create early onset of many diseases which are otherwise considered ‘diseases of middle ages’. Experts opine that sedentary lifestyle and obesity are directly responsible for developing certain other diseases and some behavioral issues.
“Many studies and researches claim that there has been a spurt in child obesity cases where the incidence rate has now notched upto 30-40 per cent. One of the most important factors causing this is imbalance between calories consumed and calories burnt. Owing to obesity, doctors are now even encountering cases of diabetes and heart attacks in teens,” said Dr Ramya Ranjan Behera, a Laparoscopic Surgeon at Kalinga Hospital here.
Experts also warn obese kids are vulnerable to many diseases. Dr Maheswari Sangoli, a dietician from the city, said, “Obesity in childhood is known to have significant impact on both physical and psychological health. Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese during adulthood and more likely to develop non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. The common causes of obesity include junk food such as chips, baked items, and candy.”
She also said, “Consumption of sugary beverages, consuming large portions of a particular food, in addition to frequent snacking on highly caloric foods, contributes to an excessive caloric intake. This energy imbalance can cause weight gain, and consequently obesity.”
Sagarika Mishra, a nutritionist from the city, said, “Not only the kids but also the overall population has been affected more by obesity. Parents need to ensure that processed and packaged items are shunned totally as they lack roughage/fibre content which gives the felling of fullness. So the kids end up eating more. Lack of physical activities is also to be blamed for obesity.”
Mishra reiterated that packaged foods not only lack nutritional quality but also have preservatives and other chemicals which can harm the kids and their health.