Increase of overweight kids seen in Baguio

MALNOURISHMENT is no longer a top problem of Baguio City. However, the City Health Office revealed an increasing trend of overweight kids recently.

Nutrition officer Angelita Sabado said the health of the community is fast improving because of the decreasing cases on malnourishments.

She added that in every 100 kids, only three are malnourished based on statistics.

However, she admitted that while malnourished cases decreased, overweight cases are also rising. She said her office now faces an alarming problem on overweight mostly in kids in grade school.

With this, she advised the public to avoid eating in restaurants since food served there are full of preservatives and additives. She encouraged mothers to be responsible for the health of the family.

Sabado also urged parents to limit intake of junk food and those containing high cholesterol in their children.

Among the causes of overweight are lack of physical exercise, overeating, bad eating habits, medications, aging, emotional, social and environmental factors.

Overweight is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke); diabetes; musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis - a highly disabling degenerative disease of the joints); and some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon).

Childhood overweight is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death and disability in adulthood.

In addition to increased future risks, obese children experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and psychological effects.