Preventing Childhood Obesity: Risks, Impacts, and Tips for Parents

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Obesity is now common in children of various age ranges. Even more concerning, some of them are under five years old.

If it continues to be left unchecked, what is the impact of obesity that has occurred since childhood and how to prevent it? Consultant pediatric endocrinologist at Eka Hospital Cibubur, Dr. Dana Nur Prihadi, SpA (K) said that obesity is definitely at risk of causing physical health problems in children. They can even suffer from some of these health problems until they grow up, some of which include asthma, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, and heart disease.

“In addition, obesity also has a risk of developing mental health disorders, such as bullyinglow self-esteem, to depression,” he said.

So when to go to the doctor? According to him, not all children who are overweight can be considered obese, but as a parent it is better if you continue to monitor your child’s weight growth. If you feel that your baby is starting to be overweight and their weight is starting to interfere with their health, immediately consult their pediatrician.

“The sooner you act, the easier it will be for your baby to start a weight loss program,” he said.

Dr. Dana invites the public to prevent obesity triggers from now on. There are things you can do to reduce your child’s risk of obesity:

1. Set a good example

Children usually imitate what their parents do, so by giving them a good lifestyle example, children will probably imitate what you do.

2. Ensure a regular sleep schedule

Irregular sleep schedules are known to disrupt hormones and increase hunger. Make sure the child gets enough sleep to reduce excessive hunger and cause excess weight.

3. Introduce new foods

Most children have problems with eating because they are not used to new foods. Introduce them to other foods to get their taste buds used to other foods.

4. Pay attention to calorie intake

Make sure you always pay attention to the calorie intake they get in a day to control their weight. You can consult this with your pediatrician for maximum results.

“Let’s prevent it together obesity in children from now on. Obesity is a condition that can last for the long term, and if it is not treated immediately, it will seriously disrupt the health of the baby,” said Dr. Dana.