Ways to Prevent Obesity in Our Family

Ways to Prevent Obesity in Our Family

Obesity is a common global health issue in which a person has a high percentage of body fat. A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher is an indicator of obesity. This issue is not only a problem for adults but also children.

World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that 39% of adults were overweight, and 13% were obese. While in Singapore, the obesity rate is rising 1% per year, whereas 30% of Singaporeans are overweight, and 10% is obese.

Obesity is associated with many health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart attack and even cancers! No wonder obesity is considered as the fifth cause of global death.

Not just that, research also reported that overweight people need to spend more money. Yup, it is not because they eat more or need to buy more clothes, obese people pay 20% more on their healthcare than others in their lifetime.

Despite the rising percentages and worrisome, there are plenty of ways to prevent obesity in our family, thus our community. Here are some of the way we can do it.

 

Obesity prevention for family

Did you know, you can prevent obesity as early as during infancy? In 2014, an analysis of 25 studies found that breastfeeding was associated with a reduced risk of childhood obesity.

We can also feed our children appropriately according to their portion sizes. For example, from ages 1 to 3, every inch of height should equate to roughly 40 calories of food intake.

Encourage our family to try different fruits, vegetables and proteins. As they grow, our children may be more likely to incorporate these healthy foods into their diet.

A healthy family is an active family. Physical activity is a must. It is how to keep us fit while also the chance for your child to learn. WHO even recommends that kids and teens get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

There are many other ways to prevent obesity for our family. Some of them are by limiting our screen time, making sure the whole family get enough sleep and limiting unhealthy foods in the household.

By focusing on obesity prevention and lifestyle changes, it may be possible to slow or prevent these diseases' development.

 

Reference: 

  1. https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/764/its-not-a-small-world-after-all
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4301835/