Weighty issue among the young

A file image of an overweight child undergoing a medical exmanitaion. The 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey indicates that 11.9 of children in Malaysia below the age of 18 are obese. – REUTERS

THERE is a worrying trend of obesity among children in the country, says Malaysian Paediatric Association President Dr N. Thiyagar.

Dr Thiyagar said the 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) shows one million, or 11.9% of children below the age of 18, are obese.

Dr Thiyagar, who is also the vice-president of the Malaysian Association for Adolescent Health, said the survey carried out last year was based on the body mass index (BMI) measurement.

He said in a similar survey carried out in 2011, the numbers of obese children recorded were 300,000 or 3.9%, clarifying that the earlier survey was based on weight-for-age criteria, which is a different measurement compared to BMI.

He added that obesity must be curbed before the age of five, because it is difficult to control weight when children reach their teenage years or adulthood.

“The figures are alarming, and there is a need to address the issue to help protect the health of children now and in the future,” he said in an interview with MetroPerak.

Dr Thiyagar says being overweight can lead to a whole host of other serious medical issues.

Dr Thiyagar said, besides genetic factor, the three main reasons for obesity among children include eating habits, a lack of physical exercise, and lifestyle factors.

He said for children aged five years and below, permissive parenting, with parents allowing their children to consume whatever they want, is a major factor in whether a child becomes obese.

He added that there are parents who provide an unhealthy diet by giving in to the demands of younger children.

On physical exercise, Dr Thiyagar said parents must encourage workouts within the family so children are inspired to follow suit.

“As for the lifestyle factor, most children these days are constantly playing video games, be it on their tablets, handphones or other devices, and also watching television, and thus they don’t burn calories and continue to gain weight,” he added.

Dr Thiyagar added that breakfast is a very important meal, and children who consume healthy and adequate meals tend to be protected from being obese.

According to experts, unhealthy family lifestyles are one of the main contributors to a rise in the incidences of obesity.

He said those who take a proper breakfast will not feel hungry until lunch time, compared to those who do not have an adequate breakfast.

“They will get hungry faster, and thus will have the tendency to overeat. Food must be consumed on a regular basis, in smaller portions.

“Children without healthy eating habits consume food, such as fast food and junk food, which are high in carbohydrates, which causes unnecessary calorie intake,” he added.

Dr Thiyagar says that obesity not only leads to heart diseases, but obese children in their adulthood will suffer a higher risk of hypertension, high cholesterol, and in some cases, diabetes.

He said children as young as 10 are developing type 2 diabetes, with some developing Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.

He added that young girls, who are obese, could suffer polycystic ovary syndrome where their periods are irregular, tendency for hair to grow at odd parts of the body or acne issues due to the interference of their hormone function.

Increasingly, young children are spending less time exercising outdoors. – AFP PHOTO

According to Dr Thiyagar, other issues with obesity include fatty liver, obstructive sleep apnoea, and orthopaedics problems.

He said last but not the least, some overweight children also tend to have poor self-esteem, difficulty in mixing with their peers, bullying, anxiety and some even get into depression.

Tackling the issue of obesity in children requires the involvement of the whole family, and for behavioural changes to take place.

He said weight loss is just be a short-term solution, and to ensure a long-term solution, behavioural changes are vital.

“There must be proper eating habits within a family, and eating while watching television is definitely a no-no.

“How, what and where the family eats are all factors that will affect how children form their own eating habits.

“As most children tend to mimic their parent’ behaviours, parents will need to adjust their own eating habits and lifestyle,” he added.