Most people assume that childhood obesity is caused by the lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet. However, a new Indian study has just found a link between child obesity and poor parenting. But how can you help keep your child from getting fat?
The study, which was conducted by Madurai's Alpha Hospital & Research Centre consultant endocrinologist and director V. Kumaravel, found that out of 18,001 children (aged 5 to 18), 9.5% were overweight while 3% were diagnosed with obesity. In addition to that, most of these kids were dealing with some stress from their homes.
"While only 118 followed up for treatment in a clinical setting, it was found that 58 of them had family problems," Kumaravel shared with IndiaSpend (via Hindustan Times). "They either hailed from broken homes or were dealing with step-mothers, drunken fathers and other grievances."
In addition to that, Kumaravel stated that children should not be blamed for their weight. "If your child is obese, then you can be certain that it's not his/her fault," the endocrinologist said.
But how can a parent help to prevent child obesity? Here are a few important things to remember to keep your kids healthy.
Participate In Physical Activities With Your Kids
In an age when children spend most of their time sitting in front of the TV or playing video games, there has been a great decline in any form of physical activities. One way to promote exercise is to invite your child to join you for a walk or an outdoor game. This way, you can both get your muscles moving as well as interact with them.
Make Sure Your Child Gets Healthy Snacks
Although there is currently an effort to provide healthier food options in school, kids might still end up munching on sugary snacks at home. It is best to keep some fresh fruit around the house for easy snacking.
