A neighbor whose teenage son weighs a hefty 107 kilos recounted to me not too long ago, how just because she is a tiny little thing(she actually weigh 52 kilos),people have tendency to assume her husband must be "orobo" and that her son must have taken after his father. But such assumptions are quickly banished when the boy’s father turns out to be as "lepacious" as his mother.
According to the middle-age woman, this contrast in parent-child physique has become a regular point of interest as people keep asking how she(and her spouse)came about birthing such a "big" boy .The questions are endless. Why is he so obese? How can you be slim and he so fat? Doesn’t he have your genes? What does he eat? She is grateful of their concerns, but to her, it’s more frustrating than embarrassing. Eventually she is able to appreciate that her son's obesity is acquired, not inherited. The question of whose responsibility it is for this development, is another question altogether.
These days there is a lot in the news about children and the "obesity epidemic” There are general notions about obesity and overweight being unhealthy, but what exactly are the concerns? Being obese increases a child's risk for some serious childhood medical problems such as prediabetes, diabetes heart disease, hyperlipidemia(too much fat in the blood, which can clog the arteries), sleep apnea, bone conditions, gastro-intestinal diseases ,and psychological problems.
These obesity - associated health problems tend to continue into adulthood .In addition to the risks, over-weight children are at greater risk of becoming obese adults, with all the health problems associated with obesity lasting through the lifespan.
The good news is that as a parent, you do have influence over your child's lifestyle and weight. Here’s some general advice on what to do:
