Obesity is a major public health concern here that our extremely high prevalence of obese individuals in our population earned us the undesirable moniker of “Asia’s Fattest Country.” Tapi apa yang lagi worrying is that we are starting to see an earlier onset of unhealthy weight in our kids. Haa, terkejut kan?
In fact, Malaysia sebenarnya has one of the highest percentages of obese children – specifically aged between 6 months to 12 years old – in Asia. Sebab tu lah it’s important that we should instill healthy eating habits in our kids untuk tackle the issue effectively.
Tapi jangan panic sebab we’ve prepared a few guidelines to help parents, and caretakers alike to prevent childhood obesity.
Sebelum tu, kita kena tanya diri kita…
Is My Child Overweight?
Ok. First, kita kena faham apa tu “obese.”
A child is considered overweight if the child has a Body Mass Index (BMI) that charts within the 85th to 94th percentile. But an obese child is considered obese if the child measures above the 95th percentile. It’s important for us to understand that this method of determination lain daripada guidelines recommended for adults.
So, to answer the question: it’s best to consult a doctor to find out if our child is at an unhealthy weight.
Tapi Kenapa Kita Should Be Concerned If Our Child Is Overweight?
Well, for one, it might be difficult for the child to shed the weight.
Lagi satu, an overweight child is about 4 times as likely to develop into an adult with obesity. Bukan tu je! Sebab obese children may have more severe risk factors for obesity, and obesity-related disease in adulthood.
These health risks are varied and chronic, and include conditions and diseases macam:
- Type 2 diabetes, leading to kidney and heart problems
- High blood pressure and cholesterol, key factors contributing to cardiovascular disease
- Joint problems and musculoskeletal discomfort
- Sleep and breathing problems like sleep apnea and asthma
Not only that, an overweight child may also be subjected to social issues like bullying and stigmatisation, leading to harmful psychological effects such as depression, low self-esteem and anxiety. Haih, kesiannya…
Jadi, What Can We Do To Ajar Our Kids Healthy Eating Habits?
1. Kurangkan early life influences on obesity
Semua pakar medical setuju yang pregnancy is a critical period that shapes the outcome of a baby’s risk for childhood obesity. It’s important for the mother to be at a healthy weight – neither under- nor overweight – and to gain weight steadily as her pregnancy progresses. Ok, mak mak?
2. Promote healthy eating behaviour at the weaning stage
Introducing solids is another important milestone that shapes your child’s eating habits.
At this critical time, how you introduce new foods and what foods you introduce will make all the difference. Methods like baby-led weaning and involving them in the food preparation process can help infants familiarize themselves with new foods, tastes and textures. Kita juga patut cuba untuk restrict salt, sugar and high-fat content in your child’s diet.
3. Model a positive attitude towards food
You are your child’s primary role model. Sebab tu it’s important that you maintain a positive attitude during mealtimes to ensure you don’t pass on your own biases towards certain types of foods. Macam apa orang selalu cakap: we model the behaviour we want our kids to adopt.
4. Talk to our child about healthy vs. unhealthy foods
As your child gets older and begins to gain his or her own ideas about the types of foods he or she prefers to consume, kita kena lah explain what is healthy diet and what is unhealthy diet. Be cognizant also about the types of foods you keep stocked in the fridge – this way your child always has access to food that is good for them. Tak ada lah diaorang selalu makan jajan je kan.
5. Encourage an active lifestyle
Taking your child outdoors to run and play instead of watching tv can show them that an active lifestyle tu sebenarnya seronok juga! Try to ensure that your child gets at least an hour of physical activity a day – lagi kerap, lagi bagus tau.
So, Kita Kena Ingat…
Obesity in children is a condition with long-term serious health consequences that may follow the afflicted to adulthood. Getting your child to eat healthily as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle are key steps in preventing childhood obesity.
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Disclaimer: Our content is strictly for educational and informational purposes only. Healthlah.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
