Obesity has now emerged as a common health issue affecting people worldwide. When the body mass index or BMI stands at 30 or higher, it indicates obesity. Prevention of obesity is not only important for improving overall health, but it provides psychological relief to the patient as well.
Prevention and control of obesity in kids and adults are equally important. Be it for adults or kids, following a few rules can change the game for you. Let’s get started.
Prevention of Obesity for Kids
Childhood obesity prevention can reduce a lot of health-related problems for children. The process begins at a young age in their home.
Here, we have enlisted a few ways to prevent obesity in kids. Let’s have a quick look at it.
1. Breast-Feeding for Infants
Breastfeeding infants is a very crucial step towards controlling obesity in babies. Breastfed babies are more likely to keep their weight under check when they grow old.
So, avoid feeding your baby with formula at such a delicate age. It will not only help them in achieving a healthy weight but also make them strong from within.
2. Control Portion Size
Overeating is one of the main reasons for obesity that most of us know yet don’t address. Therefore, keeping an eye on your child’s portion size is quite important.
Let your child eat when they are hungry and that too in smaller proportions. It will help them to digest the good easily as well.
3. Introduce Healthy Foods Early
To control obesity, make your child aware of the variety of different fruits, vegetables, and proteins at an early age. It will help them to know and try different options they have on their plate.
For instance, involve your kids in planning, shopping, and preparing meals. Also, don’t forget to give them at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables regularly.
4. Teach Slow & Mindful Eating
Overeating is mostly caused by eating randomly even when you are not hungry. Similarly, eating at a fast pace can create problems in digestion and therefore result in obesity.
Teach your kids to chew their food properly and eat slowly.
Also Read:- Rice Bran Oil vs Sunflower Oil Differences
5. Incorporate Physical Activities
Exercises and activities are a must for children to maintain a healthy weight. But how will you engage them in physical activities?
Introducing them to fun physical activities can solve the problem for you. Take them swimming or in the parks to get at least 60 minutes of physical activities
6. Be Strict About Screen Time
The more time your child spends sitting in front of a screen, the less he indulges in physical activity as well as good sleep.
As exercise and sleep are vital for healthy weight management, limit your child’s screen time.
7. Reminder to Drink Enough Water
Habituate your children to drink water every time they need something to quench their thirst.
This will help in avoiding beverages with added sugar. These sugary beverages are very addictive and cause serious health damages as well.
Also Read:- Black Coffee Benefits
8. Limit Outside Foods
One of the most effective ways to prevent obesity is to limit processed, outside foods. You may not have control over what your kid eats all the time, but you can stay informed.
Bring variations in their school lunch or offer them different types of healthy snacks to save them from food boredom.
9. Keep Temptations Away
If you stock the refrigerator with junk foods, there is no way you can keep their weight in control. Temptation is hard to control for adults, not to mention even harder for children.
Instead of putting on soft drinks or sugary snacks, keep your pantry stocked with fresh fruit and healthy snacks.
10. Be An Example
It is important to change eating habits as a family to teach your children the same.
Firstly, never use food as a reward or withhold food as a form of punishment. In addition to that, stop indulging yourself in junk foods. Cook at home and involve your child in the process to know their foods well.
Prevention of Obesity for Adults
Obesity among adults is a very talked-about problem the world is facing right now. Preventing obesity among adults is crucial as it results in severe health complications as well. Let’s take a look at how to prevent obesity for adults.
1. Limit Sugar Consumption
According to researchers, regular sugar intake should not exceed six teaspoons per day for women and nine teaspoons per day for men. By avoiding sugary beverages, desserts, and other sugary foods, you can keep your weight in control.
If you are craving something sweet, use a small amount of honey or jaggery to make it in your own kitchen.
2. Include More Fruits & Veggies
Every adult should have at least five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables per day.
Adding adequate fruits and veggies helps keep the calorie count reasonable. It also secures you from the chances of overeating.
3. Avoid Saturated Fats
If you always say a strict no to all types of fats, there’s no need. Healthy dietary fats like polyunsaturated fats contain properties to improve cholesterol levels and reduce obesity risk as well.
Strictly avoid saturated fats to control obesity. In the meantime, keep the healthy fat intake limited to 20% to 35% of daily calories.
4. Track Your Food Habit
Keep track of your food habits regularly. Tracking it will help you to control your portion easily. You can also select the foods that suit your body better.
5. Exercise Regularly
Apart from maintaining all the food-related precautions, it is equally important to keep your body physically active. Individuals who exercise regularly have a lower body mass index (BMI) than others.
Try to keep 60 to 90 minutes aside from your schedule to exercise every day. Run, jog, do yoga, or do any kind of exercise you prefer.
6. Manage Stress
Did you know that chronic stress can be the main culprit behind your weight gain? Yes, you have heard it right.
The stress hormone cortisol can trigger your eating patterns. It eventually leads to cravings for high-calorie foods, one of the main reasons behind excessive weight gain.
Also Read:- Weight loss Diet Plan
7. Cook At Home
Instead of going out to have your dinner, try home-cooked meals for weight management. It not only saves you money but also helps in preventing obesity.
Home-cooked meals are extremely helpful to know how many calories you are consuming. Besides, it improves your overall health as well.
8. Have Adequate Sleep
Never underestimate the power of sleep over your health and wellbeing!
Lack of sleep can create a hormone imbalance in the body. It results in an increased sense of hunger and therefore ends up in weight gain.
So, it’s not only the food that you should keep in check if you want to prevent obesity. But it’s not that difficult as well. By maintaining a few things, you can easily maintain a healthy weight and lead a happy, healthy life. Try it for yourself.
