Wednesday, September 18, 2013

OBESITY IN CHILDREN AND TEENS

Obesity

Generally, a child is considered obese when the weight is at least 10% higher that what is recommended for their height and body type; otherwise when the BMI is 30 and above. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80% chance of becoming an obese adult. Obesity occurs when a child eats more calories than the body burns up.

Causes

Causes of obesity could be genetic, biological, behavioural and cultural. Obesity in childhood and teenage can be related to:

  • Poor eating habits and binge eating
  • Lack of exercise
  • A Family history of obesity
  • Low self-esteem
  • Depression or other emotional problems
Risks and Complications

Physical complications of obesity include:
  • Increased risk of heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Breathing problems
  • Insomnia
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
Teens with weight problems tend to have much lower self-esteem and be less popular among their friends.

We see here that the disadvantages of obesity in childhood outweighs the advantages. Let us take deliberate steps to curb this menace in our children.

Curbing the Menace

Lasting weight loss can only occur when there is self motivation, making healthy eating and regular exercise a family activity.

Manage your Child's Obesity by:

  • Changing eating habits such as eating less fatty foods, and avoiding late night crunching
  • Plan meals, make better ingredient selections
  • Control meal portions
  • Increase physical activity such as walking, jogging, biking, hiking, playing football, swimming together; simply have a more active lifestyle
  • Monitor your child's food in school
  • Have family dining times at table instead of in front of the TV
  • Please do not use food as a reward
  • Limit snacks


Families are encouraged to motivate obese children to have healthy weights and support with tender care those who make the effort to lose weight.



A few facts gathered from a research.

The WHO has issued guidance on emerging double threat of childhood obesity and under nutrition in low-and-middle income countries; implying that this issue is more serious than we think to attract the attention of the WHO.

That low and middle income countries neglect overweight and obesity as major health threats. More than 75% of overweight children live in developing countries with prevalence in Africa almost doubling in the last 2 decades.

Personal Observations

In my view, childhood obesity has two sides. On one hand, under nutrition, obesity and overweight are forms of malnutrition with causes and consequences closely linked to inadequacies in the food system; which does not deliver a sufficient amount of quality food, can lead both to poor growth and to excess weight gain. 

In contrast but a more common sight, childhood obesity comes as a result of lack of or insufficient parental care. Children who are often left on their own, eat anything at any time, while their parents either look on without effective control measures or hardly find the time to monitor their diets.

Obese children, more likely to be obese adults, have an increased risk of diabetes and other diseases. Factors during pregnancy and infancy could affect an older child and adult's weights. 

A child who has grown poorly in his first years of life may turn into a short but overweight adolescent and then later in life, develop chronic disease as an adult.

Reference:www.aacap.org, ghanabusinessnews.com

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

TIMIDITY IN CHILDREN

WHY CHILDREN GET TIMID

Children who are shy and timid are often more intelligent than people know. They are often empathetic and are deeply caring. Too often they don’t want to bother anyone by speaking out or taking action. Being shy and timid and being treated as being shy and timid can lead to avoidance of trying, getting involved, accomplishing things which in turn can lead to a loss of self-confidence or nothing to build self-confidence upon.

Timid children often have been punished or criticized destructively for their thoughts, insights, wisdom and actions. They often feel trapped with lots of awareness and have fear of taking action. Often they have no one to listen to their thoughts and fears. Such children need much support and encouragement as well as experiences that give them self-confidence.
Being timid can also be caused and complicated by: a combination of family patterns; perceptual difficulties; nutritional imbalances; exposure to environmental pollutants as well as unresolved shock, trauma, or abuses of all kinds.

Timid children tend to grow into timid youth and then adults. Let us be mindful of our actions towards our children since they affect them for a lifetime.

Source:www.growingupeasier.org



Monday, September 2, 2013

Talk with your kids!

Raising kids is probably the most gratifying job any of us will ever have and one of the toughest (if not the toughest). We live in an increasingly complex world that challenge us everyday with a wide range of issues that can be difficult for children to understand and for adults to explain to them. These practical tips can help parents explain to them. These practical tips can help you talk much more easily and openly with young children ages (8 to 12) about some very difficult subjects.


  • Start early and initiate conversations with your child
  • Create an open environment and communicate your own values
  • Listen to your child and be honest
  • Be patient and understanding
  • Talk about it again
Try it and don't forget to give us a feedback!

Monday, August 5, 2013

Trending Parenting Issues

"Implicit in understanding what it means for grandparents to raise their grandchildren is an appreciation for the cost that this growing trend has on our society, our elders, and, most important, our children," explains Williams. Children not being raised by their biological parents suffer from issues related to neglect, abandonment, abuse and other trauma. Parenting grandparents are left to pick up the pieces and try to build a safe, trusting environment where these children can flourish and grow.
Added to this is grief and sadness related to the failures and problems their own children are suffering which has caused them to be unable to raise their kids. Parenting grandparents must make difficult decisions on creating boundaries with their own children so that their grandchildren have an opportunity to heal and grow.
sheknows.com

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The lasting value of childhood happiness



Childhood Happiness: More Than Just Child's Play

A seemingly simple question can be more complicated to answer than one would think. Most people are able to think of a wide array of events, activities, people and things they encountered during their childhood. Some memories are happy, and some sad, upsetting, or frightening. Is the impression we have of our childhood happiness the sum of all that we have experienced or primarily a function of the good or the bad?
For example, believing that you were cheated of the things, experiences, love or acceptance that every child deserves can negatively impact relationships and feelings of adequacy and belonging.  Recent research suggests that the impression of having had a happy childhood is associated with greater social contentedness, enhanced sense of self, and healthy behaviors. Adverse impressions of childhood are related to greater difficulty in relationships, self-insight, and dealing with distress.

An incredible amount of attention has been devoted to how children should be raised. Parents can seek advice from experts in books, magazine articles, on television and websites. Parents want to know how much of their children's time should be spent in educational endeavors, sports, creative arts, and recreational activities. Which toys, games, smart media, television programs, exercise, music, and role models are safe, acceptable, beneficial, or harmful?

Recent research is beginning to explore the extent to which different aspects of childhood are associated with an individual's impression of how happy her or his childhood had been. Impressions of childhood happiness are related more closely to social events and activities than to more solitary ones; for example, having a party for a special occasion is important to the memory of having a happy childhood. Parents worry about unhappy or adverse experiences that can happen in childhood. Children can't be protected from every adversity, but attention to their feelings can make a difference.
Parents can observe their children's activities and their performance in school, sports, music or art.  What is not as obvious is how their children feel about the events and experiences, and how they feel will be more important in shaping their view of childhood happiness. It is more important that a child feel proud of an achievement or pleased with their performance than being selected for a team or receiving an award.

Feeling loved by parents, that makes the most influential contribution to childhood happiness. As adults, we no longer feel that the number of toys, sports trophies, or top grades we received as children were as important as we thought. What is important to us as adults is knowing that we shared joys and sorrows, successes and disappointments with people who loved us. Long after our memories of toys, gifts, test scores have faded, the feelings of trust, comfort, reassurance, and love remain.



Ref: Krystine I. Batcho, Ph.D.