More than 70% of obese children may develop into obese adults! Nutritionists teach 3 ways to prevent childhood obesity

Today is Children's Day on April 4th. Children's health has received much attention, especially the high obesity rate among children. According to the latest national nutrition survey statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children aged 13-15 in Taiwan is as high as 30.6%, indicating that the problem of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is becoming more and more serious. How should we eat properly to avoid obesity? What are some ways to prevent childhood obesity?

1. The obesity rate among children exceeds 30%! Reduce eating out, 3 tips to prevent childhood obesity

According to the latest National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the 7-12, 13-15 and 16-18 age groups in Taiwan reached 26.7%, 30.6% and 28.9% respectively. What are the risk factors for childhood obesity? Nutritionist Zhong Jieying from the China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital observed that currently Taiwanese students go to daycare or cram school after school, resulting in most students having dinner mainly with convenient eat-outs, such as at food stalls or convenience stores. Students often want to choose their favorite food or save pocket money, so their food choices are mostly bread, microwave food, braised pork rice, etc., which are unbalanced in nutrients. Most of the food they eat out is refined starch and highly fried food, which leads to excessive calorie intake. In addition, with the rise of 3C products, students have increased their screen time and reduced dynamic activities and sleep time, which are all risk factors for childhood obesity.

3 tips to prevent childhood obesity

Nutritionist Zhong Jieying reminds parents and children to master three elements to prevent obesity:

1. Increase nutritional knowledge: Cultivate children's understanding of the six major types of food and nutrients from an early age, and inform them of the importance of a balanced diet. Each type of food is indispensable, so as to avoid picky eating and unbalanced nutrient intake.

2. Parents set an example: Obesity-related surveys around the world have found that if children grow up in a family with a healthy diet, they are less likely to suffer from obesity and chronic diseases. This is because parents usually do not choose foods such as sugary drinks and desserts, so children naturally have fewer opportunities to choose such foods on their own, thereby achieving good weight control.

3. Eating and exercising at home: Cooking more often at home can reduce children's intake of excessive fat and calories from eating out. It can also allow children to participate in the meal preparation process, which can motivate them to eat healthily and enjoy eating at home. In addition, exercising together as a family can also increase children and adolescents' willingness to participate in outdoor activities, increase calorie consumption, and achieve the benefits of preventing weight gain and weight control.

👉Read more: Survey: The obesity rate among children exceeds 30%! Nutritionists urge: Reduce eating out, 3 tips to prevent childhood obesity

2. Childhood obesity is related to mothers’ “lack of this one action”! Nutritionist Cheng Hanyu teaches how to serve food in 30 minutes

Childhood obesity is closely related to diet, especially whether the family cooks and whether the mother prepares dinner, which is also one of the important factors affecting children's weight. According to an online survey commissioned by the Children's Welfare Alliance Cultural and Educational Foundation, which looked at family dinners between children aged 4 to 12 and their parents, it was found that nearly half of the parents cooked less than three days a week, and only 17% of parents said they cooked every day.

How long has it been since your family had dinner together? A survey conducted by the Child Welfare Alliance found that 95.4% of parents in the country believe that having dinner with their children is the happiest thing, but 63.9% of parents are unable to cook because they "don't have time after get off work", which puts children at risk of eating out, such as unhygienic diets and excessive intake of oil and sugar. In response to this, nutritionists and child welfare groups jointly promoted the "Healthy Baby 333" happy dinner principle and taught the secret of serving dishes within 30 minutes.

👉Read more: Childhood obesity is related to mothers’ “lack of this one action”! Nutritionist Cheng Hanyu teaches how to serve food in 30 minutes

3. What tests should be done for childhood obesity? Liver fibrosis scanner to confirm the degree of fatty liver

About 1 in 3 people is overweight or obese. The Ministry of Health and Welfare also found that eight of the top ten causes of death in Taiwan in 2022 were related to obesity, which means that obesity has become a "chronic killer of the nation" and its impact on health is far more serious than we imagined. Among many obese children, more than 70% will continue to be obese in adulthood, resulting in a risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia that is three times higher than that of people with a healthy weight. This will eventually increase the risk of cancer and death. Therefore, it is urgent to take proactive measures to combat obesity and protect health during adolescence.

If teenagers have the problem of being overweight, it is recommended that they go to the outpatient clinic to consult a specialist. The bioimpedance analysis instrument can evaluate the muscle mass and fat composition of the whole body, and conduct accurate blood and physical examinations to understand whether the three highs (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids) and insulin resistance have appeared. In addition, abdominal ultrasound and liver fibrosis scanner examinations can be arranged to analyze the extent of fatty liver and whether liver fibrosis is already present.

👉Recommended reading: What tests should be done for childhood obesity? Liver fibrosis scanner to confirm the degree of fatty liver