CONTROLLING CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Watch out for sugary drinks and fatty snacks
Most parents know that a bacon double cheeseburger, a whole bag of potato chips, or a box of chocolate chip cookies contains a lot of calories. Many of these calories are fats and sugars, which are considered empty calories. What parents may not realize, however, is that one of the biggest culprits in childhood obesity has nothing to do with solid food; rather it is the abundance of sugary drinks, which are often served oversized and refillable.
“Drinks don’t fill one up as easily as food, so a lot more calories can be consumed,” says Dr. Tankut Onal, FAAP, a congenital and pediatric cardiologist with Lee Physician Group.
Consider this: One 44-ounce sugary drink can be 560 calories. Refill that, and it’s more than 1,000 calories. The recommended daily caloric range for children between 6 and 12 years old is 1,600 to 2,200 per day, depending on how active they are, so that refilled sugary drink is at least half of what is required.
Childhood obesity affects one in five children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Controlling it may be as simple as making healthy choices at the grocery store. “Parents need to check the labels for calories, fat, and sugar content,” says Onal.
While making changes isn’t always easy, involving the whole family is crucial. Children can be taught to look for healthier labels, and a trip to the grocery store can turn into a healthy treasure hunt. “Rewarding techniques can also work,” suggests Onal. “For example, for every new fruit or vegetable that is tried, they get a reward.”
The problem with obesity is it doesn’t just affect the bathroom scale; it impacts the way children feel about themselves,
lowers their energy level, hurts their self-esteem, ruins their ability to sleep well, adversely affects their moods, and seriously impacts their health.
Pediatric type 2 diabetes is on the rise along with obesity. “This disease affects multiple organs, including kidneys, heart, the brain, vascular systems, and eyes,” says Onal. “When weight rises, so does blood pressure, putting one’s health at risk throughout one’s lifetime,” he adds.
With their changing hormones, including growth hormones, teenagers can be especially impacted by obesity. It also puts their mental and behavioral health at risk.
Furthermore, childhood obesity is often linked to dental problems such as cavities, and skin issues such as acne. “We have obese pediatric patients, with high blood pressure, that require cardiac clearance before major dental work,” notes Onal.
He encourages parents to connect with their primary care physicians for more ideas about keeping childhood obesity in check. “It’s imperative to keep regular doctor appointments so healthy guidance can be given to parents earlier rather than later,” says Onal.
Other resources include healthychildren.org, which has a wealth of information for parents, including a handy media time calculator that helps make parents and their kids more aware of how long they are sitting, thus promoting more movement.
One 44-ounce sugary drink can BE 560 CALORIES. REFILL THAT, AND IT’S MORE THAN 1,000 CALORIES, HALF OF THE RECOMMENDED DAILY CALORIC RANGE FOR CHILDREN.