NCD Watch

Healthy Weight Healthy Kids

26 May 2015 (Tue)

Many health problems are related to childhood obesity. Compared to children with a healthy weight, obese children have more metabolic risk factors (including enlarged waist circumference, raised blood pressure, impaired glucose tolerance, elevated blood glucose and suboptimal levels of blood lipids), and at increased risk of diabetes, fatty liver disease, sleep apnoea, asthma and musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, obese children are more likely to experience psycho-social problems. Furthermore, obese children tend to become obese adults. The adverse health consequences are not restricted to childhood, but can extend into adulthood.

In Hong Kong, data from the Student Health Service (SHS) of the Department of Health recorded the detection rate of overweight and obesity among primary school students increased from 16.1% in 1995/96 to 22.2% in 2008/09, but then decreased gradually to 20.0% in 2013/14. For secondary school students, the corresponding detection rate increased from 13.2% in 1996/97 to 19.5% in 2013/14.

In fact, every aspect of the environment in which children are conceived, born and raised can contribute to their risk of becoming overweight or obese. Prevention of childhood obesity should start before birth and continue through childhood and adolescence with healthy feeding practices and eating patterns along with the promotion of adequate physical activity.

The following are some tips for parents in helping children and adolescents achieve a healthy weight:

Promoting healthy eating

• Consider exclusively breastfeeding your baby for the first six months, then with the introduction of complementary foods to continue breastfeed until two years or above
• Offer your kids three regular meals every day. Serve food in the portion size appropriate for their age and development
• Encourage your kids to eat a variety of healthy foods and in the proportions as the Healthy Eating Food Pyramid recommends
• Serve your kids healthy snacks and plain water. Limit snacks that are high in fat, salt and sugar, soft drinks or other sugary beverages. Do not use food as reward
• Eat at home with your kids as often as possible. When eating out, choose healthy dishes with less fat, salt and sugar

Promoting physical activity

• Make physical activity part of the family's daily routine
• Engage your kids in more outdoor activities
• Support your kids in sports or other active recreational activities
• Offer kids rewards that promote physical activity
• Limit non-active screen time, such as television watching, use of computer and other electronic screen products