The increased rate of childhood obesity is a rising concern

Researchers say that the rising rate of obesity in children is a matter of concern; it is one of the main reasons for type 2 diabetes and can cause heart diseases

The research says that the childhood obesity rate was meager until 2010, but it continued to rise. In 2017-2019, the childhood obesity rate was 19% for ages 2 to 19. Researchers at the University of Georgia reported that pediatric obesity hit a new height during the recent pandemic. They also found that children with high Body Mass Index (BMI) likely show signs of artery stiffness and visceral fat, both risk factors of cardiovascular disease. It is also seen that a high rate of children is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

According to U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the obesity of children rose from 19 to 22% during and after the pandemic. One possible reason is doubled screen time from 4hrs to 8hrs for children ages 10 to 14 during the pandemic. And the other possible reason is stress eating.

Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, suggested parents to give five fruits or vegetables per day. Give at least four compliments a day if the child makes healthy food choices and provide three potions of calcium per day, says the doctor. The doctor also advised the parents to reduce their child’s screen time to 2 or fewer hours and add an hour of exercise to their daily routine.