Think about how many times you might have used the word ‘fat’ instead of using the word ‘obese’.

Hmm exactly…

This is because in today’s society, obesity is perceived as a moral failing and we often tend associate the illness with the concept of body shaming.

Coming across adverts that encourage body positivity, in fact, isn’t that uncommon anymore and many have argued that social media is to blame.

Scientifically, however, the term ‘obese’ is defined by body mass index which is a measure of the relationship between weight and height. – It might be to your surprise, but the formula to resolve this National issue is not in the recipe of slimming hot teas, unlike celebrities make it seem.

The Government has taken several actions in the attempt to tackle child obesity; From introducing the ‘Healthy Schools Rating Scheme’ to the more recent sugar tax that did not go down well with those brands that sell ‘the unhealthy’. The tax is designed to encourage the industry to lower sugar content but critics have stated that it will simply encourage individuals to pay extra for a sugary fix, creating a disadvantage for working-class children.

Although, sugar in food is known to be contributing to the swelling waistlines of children, you may have heard that 20% of weight loss success, lies behind physical activity.  

So, here is what all parents and cares should take into consideration when tackling child obesity:

If your child is overweight, don’t ignore it. You shouldn’t make a child feel bad for being overweight and you should never put a child on a strict diet, unless the doctor tells you to.

Make sure your child is active. The average child spends far too much time in front of a screen, however, by swapping one screen hour for an exercise hour, you can literally change their life.

Save time by managing your family’s health through our myGP app and take advantage of the school break to plan fun activities that will get the kids off the sofa!

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash