Hirra Azmat
Srinagar: More than 11.5 percent school going children are suffering from chronic obesity in Kashmir.
A life-altering disease, obesity refers to a chronic condition in which a person accumulates abnormal or excessive body fat which causes adverse health effects. It is often the result of an imbalance between calories consumed and calories burned
This year, the theme of World Obesity Day, which is observed on March 4, is ‘Everybody Needs to Act’. It should be noted that people living with obesity lack support and often face stigma at work and at home. As such, it needs to be addressed and measures need to be taken at local, regional, and national levels.
A 2022 study, `Prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity among school children in Kashmir valley: a community-based cross-sectional study’, was conducted by GMC, Srinagar, and SKIMS, Soura.
It estimated the prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity among school children aged 5-15 years in Kashmir valley. A total of 9,576 students both male and female, comprising 56.6% (5416) and girls 43.4% (4160) were evaluated.
“The prevalence of overweight children was 24.7% while that of obesity was 11.5%,” it said.
According to the study, this high prevalence of overweight obesity in school-going children with no significant difference in the obesity prevalence between boys and girls demands urgent measures.
“If left untreated, it has the potential to flare pandemics of non-communicable diseases among Kashmiri population in future,” the study said.
Community Medicine Specialist Dr. Sheikh Mohammad Saleem said obesity in children is a major problem that can lead to long-term issues such as low self-esteem and depression.
“Also, the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, asthma, and sleep apnea can considerably rise due to obesity,” he said.
He, however, said the silver lining is that childhood obesity can be reversed and parents can play a huge role in turning things around for their children who are overweight.
“In the process, they can also benefit themselves and other family members who may be overweight. Parents should not, however, adopt dietary or lifestyle modifications based simply on the perception that their child is overweight,” Dr. Saleem said.
He stressed that since children’s bodies change with age, determining whether or not a child is overweight can be tricky. When it comes to assessing obesity in kids, only a healthcare expert should do it.
