OBESITY

Obesity is defined as 20% in excess of ideal weight of an individual for the age.
Worldwide obesity has been a major socio-economic problem .Irrespective of
gender , religion, and economic status it affects children nowadays.
About 22 million children below 5 years of age worldwide and 10-20% of school
children in INDIA are suffering from obesity. Even though genetics ,endocrinal,metabolic
environmental and socio- cultural factors are attributed to cause obesity, a major factor
for obesity is changes in the individual life style.
Life style changes like
Lack of physical exercise ,
Un healthy eating habits and
Fast food culture leads to obesity.
DIET
Consumption of high calorie foods ,rich fatty foods, intake of low fiber
food and frequent snacking , high calorie drinks are contributes to obesity in children
belonging to affluent society. Where as consumption of rich carbohydrate food ,intake
of sweetened drinks , low intake of vegetables and fruits contributes to obesity in
children belonging to poor economic strata.
EXERCISE
Rapid urbanization has caused shrinkage of playgrounds for children
and pedestrian pathways. Traditional games are all but forgotten. Sports in schools are
neglected, all this compound the problem.
SEDENTARY LIFE STYLE.
It is a major factor for obesity.it includes watching TV for long hours.
children getting addicted to video games and mobile phones. Modern transportation has
rendered walking minimal.

COMPILCATION OF OBESITY

CARDIO VASCULAR
ENDOCRINE
RESPIRATORY
RENAL
GASTRO INTESTINAL
PSYCOLOGICAL

Hyper tension, atherosclerosis ,

Diabetes
Asthma,
Sodium intolerance
Gal stone ,fatty deposition of liver
Depression , ADHD,Eating disorder,
Learning disorder

PREVENTION OF OBESITY
DIET
Intake of balanced diet --- panchamuttikanchi , kollu rice
Breakfast should be taken regularly ,encourage to take millets.
Intake of high fiber foods include vegetables and fruits.
(Especially country vegetables like brinjal,ladies finger ,bitter gourd ,bottle
gourd,)
Atleast one leafy vegetable should be taken daily.
Buttermilk, tender coconut should be taken instead of fizzy drinks .
Encourage our traditional snacks it contain Low calorie and high nutritional
value.
(kadalai mittai,ellu mittai, pasipayiru urundai , thinai laddu , aval ,
maapillaisamba pori urundai,Fig , amla candy.)
Awareness should be created about the ill effects of high calorie foods and
drinks.

PHYSICAL EXERCISE

Atleast one hour of physical exercise should made routine.

Games and sports should be made compulsory in schools .
Traditional games like silambam , mallar kambam , paandi should
be encouraged.
Sedentary life style should be avoided by cut the tv watching time to
1 hr per day , encourage the children to use bicycle and insist small
works like house cleaning,
Encourage the children to maintain a herbal garden in dchools and
in residential areas.

CANCER IN CHILDREN.
Life style changes is the prime reason for cancer in children.
According to the ICMR statistics cancer in children was about 2.5 %of total
cases a decade ago. But now it has been to 5.5%.male children are more prone to
cancer than the female children.
Three main reason for camcer in children.
1.dietary behavior.
2.life style changes.
3.environmental factors.
DIET
High intake of unbalanced diet.
Preservatives and food additives added in food products are found to be
carcinogenic .
Intake of food with added salt and low fiber content.
Chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in the agricultural field are highly
carcinogenic.
LIFE STYLE CHANGES
Lack of physical exercise .
Obesity induce more secretion of hormones like insulin , oestrogen
Which may induce cancer.
Obesity reduces immunity in children causing certain types of cancer such as
leukaemia , liver cancer, Kaposi sarcoma .

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Excessive use of plastic products.
Air pollution due to vehicles (benzene)
Increased usage of cosmetics.
Usage of TEFLON coated utensils.
Exposure to high level of radiation such as microwave, cell phone towers.

DIABETES IN CHILDREN
Worldwide about 4.40 lakh children in the age group of 2-5 are
affected by diabetes.in INDIA about 1 lakh children are affected by type I diabetes.
Immuno compromised children are particularly at risk.it is Usually detected only when
there is sudden loss of weight of the child.

NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Unbridled population increase has resulted in people migrating towards

cities insearch of greener pastures. Lack of green vegetation coupled with alarming
increase in vehicular pollution has put the health of people living in cities at risk.This along
with changing food habits like consuming fast foods,unhealthy foods,high calorie drinks
resulted in people suffering from life style modified diseases like obesity, diabetes,
hypertension,cardio-vascular disease,cancer etc.
As a result of such non-communicable diseases there is severe financial
burden on the individual as well as on the national ex-chequer resulting in the inability of
achieving the goals of national health mission.By 2020 deaths due to NCD is estimated to
cross 75%.
Nowadays NCDs are not restricted to adults only.The last decade children
suffering from NCD has risen by 5%.
Children suffer from NCD as a result of their change in life styles, lack of
physical exercise, sports, community sports programmes have all contributed this. Children
leading such suddentary life along with the consumption of high calorie snacks, unhealthy
foods, fizziated drinks, high salted foods suffer from obesity and other related ailments such
as diabetes. More than 42 million children below the age of 5 and 5 million children in the
age group of 5-14 suffer from diabetes.
Increase in the usage of plastic products, chemical pesticides, processed
foods, artificial colouring agents in the food and pollution have resulted in high incidence of
cancer among children.There is substantial increase in the occurrence of liver cancer and
blood cancer among the children.
Enormous academic pressure mounted on school going children by their
parents and teachers caused excessive stress on them.This along with stress induced due
to NCD is causing severe pshycological problem in children. About 10-20% children suffer
from stress related diseases like dipression, ADHD, learning disorder, eating disorder etc.
Increased financial burden of the parents who are affected with NCDs are
driving their children in doing hard labour depriving them from their valuable education.This
is the secondary complication of NCD in children.

Children are our future.Investing in childrens health leads to high

economic returns and a good productive work force in future.Reducing exposure to risk
factors earlier in life will have a substantial impact on the future health of the entire
populations.
Creating awareness among the children regarding the life style modified
diseases and the prevention can go along way in combating this malaise.It is relatively easy
to create awareness among young people.