How Unhealthy Eating Habits Can Make Children Obese

It’s nothing out of the ordinary to see chubby Indian kids gorging on junk food.

From butter-drenched pav bhaji to cheese-laden mozzarella pizzas, the kids of today have plenty of options to satisfy their hunger pangs in an unhealthy way. So it comes as no surprise that overnourishment has become a major concern in urban India.

With an abundance of high energy-dense foods, the incidence of obese and overweight children has shot right through the roof.

The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau stated that the incidence of childhood obesity was as high as 33 percent in the formerly united state of Andhra Pradesh.

It’s high time for kids cut down on carbohydrates, fats and sugars in the form of chocolates, jelly, jams, hidden sugars and more.

Nutritionist Sunitha Prelatha said, “Childhood obesity is mainly due to consumption of high-fat, high-calorie foods without proper physical activity. Lack of physical activity has emerged as one of the major reasons for childhood obesity. Moreover, many children eat in schools where portion sizes aren’t controlled, leading to bulkiness. A lot of obese children are nutrient-deficient, which is another emerging challenge.”

It’s important for dieticians and parents to maintain a chart of what their children eat and accordingly, make appropriate changes.

Nutritionist U. Chitra explained, “Processed foods and ready-to-eat snacks have lead to obesity in Indian children. Children need to eat healthy foods with complex carbohydrates like say, sweet potatoes, which are excellent sources of vitamin A. These foods have vanished from the dining table! However, the new IFCT chart will probably help people in scientifically understanding these issues so that they can tackle them in a better manner.”