SAVE A CHILD TODAY (CHILDHOOD OBESITY)

The Shocking Facts

Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of  these factors, obesity is defined as having excess body fat.
Overweight and obesity are the result of "caloric imbalance" - too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed and are affected by various genetic,  behavioural and environmental factors.

Childhood obesity is big news and unfortunately like the waistband of our Nation's children and teenagers, it's set to get even bigger.
Overweight children are becoming more common as the prevalence of severe overweight rises. The social burden of pediatric obesity, especially during middle childhood and adolescence,  may have lasting effect on self esteem, body image and economic mobility.
Statistics from the most recent large-scale survey shockingly reveal that 25% of boys and 33% of girls aged between two (2) and nineteen (19) years are overweight or obese and there's little sign the incidence is slowing.

HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects on health and well-being.

Immediate health effects:
★ obese youth are more likely to have risk  factors for cardiovascular disease such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
★ obese adolescents are more likely to have prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose level indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.
★ children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea,  and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.

Long-term health effects:
★ children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease,  type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
★ overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix and prostate,  as well as multiple myeloma and hodgkin's lymphoma.

PREVENTION
★ Healthy lifestyle habits including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases.
★ The dietary and physical activity behaviors of children and adolescents are influenced by many sectors of the society,  including families, Communities, schools, child care settings, medical care providers, government agencies, the media and the food & beverage industries and entertainment industries.
★schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe physical fitness activity program, sports program and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy behaviors. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.

Physical activity helps with...
Controlling weight.
Reducing blood pressure.
Raising HDL ("good") cholesterol.
Reducing the risk of diabetes and some kinds of cancer.
Improved psychological well-being, including gaining more self-confidence and higher self esteem.
Physical activity should be fun for children and adolescents.