Childhood under obesity. [photo/eadestination.com]Obesity has been on the rise globally. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), children have been as much affected as adults.
This is true for developing countries where undernutrition remains common. In 2016, 41 million children under the age of five were overweight or obese.
As part of its response to the global epidemic of obesity, WHO has released guidelines to address overweight and obesity in children.
Underweight or stunting are both associated with increased child morbidity, mortality, and impaired child development. Today about 20 percent of child deaths are still related to malnutrition.
Being overweight or obese, however, also has immediate physical and mental health implications for a child or adolescent, and both are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and premature death in adults.
Paradoxically, a history of low birth weight or stunting is a risk factor for children becoming overweight or obese and developing cardiovascular disease or diabetes in later life, WHO, 2017.
The guideline, which is targeted to national policymakers, development partners and health workers has an objective of providing guidance on appropriate assessment and management of infants and children at primary health-care facilities, in order to reduce the risk of overweight and obesity among children, including those living in settings where both undernutrition and overweight/obesity are prevalent.
The guideline focuses on three main areas, which include assessing all children below five years of age for overweight or obesity, giving physical activity and nutrition advice including supporting breastfeeding, managing children with acute or chronic malnutrition, while ensuring they are not predisposed to overweight and obesity, as well as coming up with a management plan for the children already overweight or obese.
The challenge will be moving away from the belief that a chubby baby is a healthy baby.