CLEVELAND — COVID-19 is not the only thing that concerns health experts during this pandemic. Childhood obesity too.
Since the pandemic started, the growing rate of obesity has been particularly alarming, as it is a side effect of habit and daily scheduling changes. Remote learning for children and a reduced chance to do physical activities leads to unhealthy weight gain among children and juveniles. This problem is made worse by heavy and calorie-dense diets and the consumption of processed foods.
“Kids who struggle with their weight in childhood are more at risk for all of the chronic medical conditions that overweight adults are prone to – like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke,” says Jennifer Brubaker, Ph.D., FNP-BC, a nurse practitioner.
The worry is that increasingly overweight children and juveniles could develop a pattern that leads to lifetime health challenges.
It is better to get rid of specific weight loss goals for children with obesity. “It’s more about the healthy behavior changes than the number on the scale,” she says. “I would rather have a patient come in and tell me, ‘I’m exercising five times a week,’ than say, ‘I lost five pounds.’”
Parents are the best role model for their children, and these are five ways for parents to help encourage to change to healthier behavior:
- Be a good role model
“Households, where parents can be active with their kids, tend to be more successful in achieving a healthier lifestyle,” said Brubaker. Living a healthy and active lifestyle, choosing more nutritious foods, and starting a small sports game for the whole family are the best things parents can do to get their kids healthier. - Create a healthy environment at home.
Change calorie-loaded unhealthy snacks with healthier ones to minimize temptations for your children to eat unhealthily. “If we are putting our children in situations over and over again where unhealthy choices are confronting them on a daily basis, that’s very unfair,” Brubaker says. - Reward children with something other than food.
Instead of offering your children a pizza to celebrate an achievement, offer something that makes them more active, like a picnic or a pair of rollerblades. - Cook as a family
“For families that are super motivated, having a garden and getting the kids invested in growing their own food is a good way to encourage fruits and vegetables, and it’s also a good way to get the kids more active,” she says.
Brubaker also suggests that kids will try and know certain foods they wouldn’t eat if kids are involved in preparing their food.
- Stick to annual well-child visit.
Another essential thing is the primary care provider as a source of knowledge and support for parents and children. “Unfortunately, sometimes well-child visits get overlooked in the period where the kids are most likely to really start to gain weight,” Brubaker says.