Nurturing Healthy Habits – Understanding and Addressing Obesity
Chubby Cheeks, Not Chubby Tummies: A Discussion on What Parents Need to Know About Childhood Obesity in Raising Healthier Kids
Last week we went to a wedding reception, and as it was our close friend’s family function, we got delayed. While crossing Anna Nagar, we saw a crowd near the roadside, and we were worried about seeing such a crowd then. It was 11.30 pm, and we thought some accident or other such thing might have happened. But, to our surprise, that crowd was for the biryani that was sold in a truck! That is not in one place, we could see a similar crowd in many places in that one stretch of road. Not only youngsters, we could see groups of boys & girls, and even families with small children(one young mother holding her less than a year old baby carefully wrapped with a towel is the highlight!).
That day only we noticed the mushroom of tea shops and all of them were crowded the late night! Aruni and I were discussing the trending behaviour of people, coming out in the late night and eating non veg food that too at street side temporary shops.
We can see the reflection of growing hotels/fast food shops/ cafes/ etc in the gym! Though I could see many are working out for fitness, there are at least 30% of them who are obese and doing workout to reduce their weight! And also, in the increasing number of hospitals with many many new specializations and the crowd there!
We are from a culture where we have been taught of an early dinner that too a light dinner! I remember a saying in Tamil: “Malai vaayil sooriyan, magan vaayil soru”, meaning feeding the children when the sun is setting! – This shows that early dinner is our tradition!
Another one is “Morning eat like a king, afternoon like a prince, and night like a beggar” – Meaning to eat less at night! – This shows clearly that we have the habit of eating light food in less quantity for our dinner.
Reasons for childhood obesity can be the multifarious cuisines and fast-food outlets, availability of lip-smacking tasty high-calorie food in abundance, the different flavoured foods cooked at home… Because of today’s urbanization, there is a possibility of having a food festival every day.
It is the parents’ responsibility to show their children how to make healthy choices, what do you say?
Eating out and cherishing high calorie foods are not wrong, but it shouldn’t become a frequent affair, leading to childhood obesity. An attention-seeking child is not a happy child. When children are not given enough attention during their happy moments, they will start seeking attention through negative behaviour. This is a vicious cycle. And most of the time, unhealthy foods are given to the child after an emotional drama.
That pattern is carried into the child’s adolescent years when they indulge in high-fat foods when they are emotionally low. Psychologists believe that suppressed emotions during the growing years can lead to obesity during the adolescent age and later stages of life.
One of my cousins is having severe knee pain; the reason for that is that she is obese. To reduce weight, she has to go for regular walking, and walking is difficult for her as she has knee pain. Can you see the vicious cycle here, too? The same is the case with one of my colleagues also.
My friend who runs marathons also encourages his son who is five years old to run along with him. Even if not for long distances, this little one runs almost every day with his father. It is not easy to make a child exercise, but it is easy to make a child emulate what parents are doing. Encourage children to participate in some sports activities in school.
If a parent is sitting in front of the television with a chips packet for long hours, what do you think the children will do? More than watching ‘Tom and Jerry’ running around, encourage your children to run around a lot. Lack of activity is another important factor that can lead to childhood obesity.
We can take some simple steps towards creating a healthy future generation.
Recently, when we went to my sister’s house, as she was busy with some other work, I took the responsibility of feeding her one and a half year old granddaughter(overconfidence!). She did not take even a single morsel. I tried all possible methods with all my intelligence, but failed miserably. Then came the daughter-in-law saying, Aththai, just play some children song video and give her your phone. There ended the story! At Least she asked me to play some rhymes, there are a few who use high-beat peppy songs! Yes, I have seen a few young mothers feeding their child, showing some games or cartoons, or songs on the TV or mobile, distracting the child. Grandmothers are one step beyond. They will decide how much the child has to eat, and until the bowl becomes empty, they will do all sorts of gymnastics to make the child open their mouth! Previous generations showed the moon or told some good stories, and now in this generation, they give the mobile, that is the only difference!
Never ever overfeed the children or force them to eat when they are not hungry.
In their growing years, as they would like to make decisions on their own, help children to make the right kind of food choices.
Encourage children to participate in a lot of physical activity. My friend’s son used to play shuttle daily as part of his fitness program. Seeing him, his daughter also developed interest in sports and now is a wonderful basketball player in her school, representing the state also. Yes, instead of advising to engage in physical activities, we can be an inspiration to them.
Further, we need to create a lot of happy moments for our children during their growing years. Suppressed emotions during growing years will only manifest in an unhealthy future.
Teach them to sit in non-doing for a few minutes every day. Children are a reservoir of energy. A few minutes of non-doing will help them channelize their energy in a focused and attentive positive direction.
It is easy to train people when they are young, as said ‘ainthil valaiyadhadhu aimbathil valaiyadhu’, meaning if not learning at a young age, it is not possible in later ages! We need to condition their mind by saying ‘No’ to unhealthy choices and ‘Yes’ to healthy choices, as a healthy future for the child is absolutely a parental responsibility. Parents can inspire healthy patterns in children by being a healthy role model. As we all know, a healthy body is the base for an abundant life.
Do any parents wish for anything less than abundance for their children?
Comments (7)
pavaiwebadmin
Some science behind childhood obesity: There is a study that says worldwide, 22 million children under the age of five are obese. Children who are obese during their growing years tend to become obese adults. The self-image of the child goes for a toss when they are obese, mainly because of peer behaviour. In turn, this can lead to shrunken posture or closed posture of the child. Basically, they will start hunching their backs. The spine is the main part of the body, and any spinal deformities can cause musculoskeletal discrepancies throughout the body.
Obviously, when the body and mind go for a toss, negative-emotional overeating can perhaps add further challenges during their adolescent period. Lifestyle is the prime predisposing factor for childhood obesity than any other factor. So, lifestyle modification is the key to our healthy future generation.
In the first six years, the cell division of the body happens so fast, including that of the adipose cells, which store fat. Blessed are those children for whom, even if they are overfed, their activities and running around use up the extra intake. But today’s lifestyle changes can affect this calculation. In case the child is not active, a number of adipose cells are created in the first six years to store the extra fat. Imagine the extra fat stored in those extra fat cells is cleared by healthy eating and physical activity, the empty extra fat packs will remain till the end of their life. They will just wait for the chance to get filled, maybe in later years due to overeating. So, overfeeding when the child is not hungry during the first six years can quicken the fat cell division and cause childhood obesity.
Subhashini Krishnan
Dear Madam,
Its so alarming that Children of very young(1 year and less) starts getting fed by the young MOM only with the help of Mobile phones. Hope now a days, its embedded in their mind that Mobile as an essential one while consuming food irrespective of ages. That too the younger generation donot enjoy the taste of food rather the mobile. Mobiles just like that kills our health. An awareness should be there how the mobile shuts the thinking capacity of all which would never revert back throughout their life. Without creating these kinds of changes in lifestyle at the earlier stage, just sending for various training session (logical thinking, critical thinking), hope, wont do magic. Its not possible to live without mobile at this era but i think it must be avoided while taking food. Thanks for sharing mam, Its a must read article.
P.Arunachalam
A must read blog by every young parent and grant parents who are looking after their grand children.
pavaiwebadmin
Yes, Childhood obesity is a pressing health issue with far-reaching consequences, but it is preventable with collective effort. By promoting healthy eating habits, encouraging physical activity, and fostering supportive environments at home and school, we can help children lead healthier lives. Addressing this challenge requires awareness, education, and actionable steps from families, communities, and policymakers. Together, we can combat childhood obesity and ensure a brighter, healthier future for the next generation.
D. SUDHA
As a mother, this blog truly resonated with me. It beautifully captures how our changing lifestyle—like midnight food cravings and screen-based feeding—impacts children’s health. I loved how traditional wisdom, like eating early and light, was woven into practical parenting tips. The reminder that children emulate what we do was especially powerful. This isn’t just a blog, it’s a gentle nudge for all parents to be mindful role models. A must-read for every parent who wants a healthy and happy future for their children!
A.Vijayalakshmi
A heartfelt, insightful blog that beautifully blends tradition with today’s lifestyle realities. Vivid anecdotes, cultural wisdom, and a strong parenting message make it a unavoidable read. It’s a timely reminder that healthy habits start young—and start at home. A must-read for conscious parents and modern families.
Kuzhali
👏👏 This is true for all ages and most of the time connected with emotional health in later stages.