Healthy weight, starting from a young age

2024-04-22

April this year is the 36th Patriotic Health Month in China. The Notice on Launching the 36th Patriotic Health Month Activity issued by the Office of the National Patriotic Health Movement Committee clearly states that the theme of this year's Patriotic Health Month activity is "Healthy Urban Healthy Weight", highlighting people's continuous attention to "Healthy Weight". The recently released "Dietary Guidelines for Obesity in Adults, Children and Adolescents" by the National Health Commission shows that the obesity rate among residents aged 18 and above in China is 16.4%, the obesity rate among children under 6 is 3.6%, and the obesity rate among children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 is 7.9%. Children are chubby and likable, which can lead many parents into misunderstandings. Children who are chubby are fortunate. But many people may not know that childhood obesity poses a greater risk than middle-aged obesity, and childhood obesity is one of the risk factors for adult obesity and various complications. "Fat" and "strong" are two different concepts. Many people mistake "fat" for "strong", but these are actually two different concepts. Some children who love sports may have heavier bodies, but their bones and muscles make up a larger proportion of their bodies, which is what we call "strong". The essence of obesity is excessive accumulation of body fat, especially in areas such as the waist and abdomen. Some children may not be as heavy, but their body fat percentage is high, which is also a sign of being overweight. There are many reasons that can cause obesity, including congenital factors, later growth environment, and behavioral habits. "The conditions in the early stages of life lay the foundation for obesity," said Chang Suying, a nutrition expert at the UNICEF Children's Health Development Division. For example, the nutritional status during pregnancy, weight gain, intrauterine nutrition, endocrine system, as well as the early growth, development, and nurturing environment of infants after birth, can all affect the metabolic and other physiological functions of fetuses and newborns, and become factors affecting childhood and adulthood obesity. During the growth process, differences in lifestyle habits can also lead to weight differences. "For example, families, kindergartens, and schools do not provide sufficient healthy meals, or often take children out for meals, consuming a large amount of high oil and high sugar foods, coupled with children's addiction to electronic devices such as mobile phones, which greatly reduces their physical activity," said Chang Suying. Chang Suying reminds that due to the similarity in dietary habits among family members, many parents do not attach enough importance to or neglect observation of their children's obesity, often leaving them in a state of obesity without self-awareness. So, how to distinguish whether a child is obese? "The body fat index (BMI) of children and adolescents can be used to determine whether they are overweight or obese by dividing their weight (kg) by the square of their height (m), and then corresponding to different age and gender standard values." Chang Suying specifically reminds that in addition to body fat index, attention should also be paid to whether children have central obesity, that is, obesity with fat distributed in the waist and abdomen. "This can be detected by calculating the ratio of waist circumference (cm) to height (cm) and comparing it with the corresponding standard values." "Usually, parents only need to pay attention to the physical examination results of daycare institutions or schools every academic year. If it shows overweight or obesity, attention should be paid and scientific weight loss should be carried out under professional guidance," said Chang Suying. Childhood obesity not only affects childhood, but also weight management

Edit:GuoGuo    Responsible editor:FangZhiYou

Source:gmw.cn

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