US obesity epidemic exacerbated by Covid-19 pandemic

US obesity epidemic exacerbated by Covid-19 pandemic

by

In a year filled with so much tragedy and suffering, it would be easy to lose a few extra pounds in a child or to consider weight gain as a problem that needs to be solved once the pandemic subsides. But the weight gain we see in children is not small and can not wait either.

The details that lead to weight gain vary. Sometimes it’s Dad, who has recently taken over the culinary arts and perhaps feeds the children too much; other times it is Grandma who has spoiled them now that they are home; for still other, favorite sports are no longer an option, or they completely stop going outside.

Through the many stories we hear in our practices, one fact remains: the pandemic created the perfect conditions for children to gain weight, and so did they.

What we saw in our offices – which mainly serve black and brown children – was predictable. As a result of what has become an unnecessarily protracted crisis, countless children in this country have been deprived of the nutrition and opportunity for physical activity they previously received at school.

The loss of structured personal learning, in turn, disrupted other aspects of children’s lives – what used to be 20 hours of sleep on a school night became 9 hours or later until there was no sleep. While parents work from home while supervising online learning, mealtimes have changed, portion sizes have increased, and snacks have become more common.

Seated locks put children at risk for obesity. Here's how you can help them stay moving

The changes in every home took place against a backdrop of record-breaking unemployment and the rise of food insecurity. In our practice, we have seen food budgets gradually tighten and families move to cheaper, higher calories, more processed foods in an effort to feed their children.

All of this – the unemployment, the food security, the lack of personal learning and the interruptions that come with it – have affected the black and colored communities excessively.

Higher prices of obesity

It is children in the same communities who had higher obesity before the onset of the pandemic, and who are at greatest risk for its consequences. In the United States, 18.5% of all children between the ages of 2 and 19, or 13.7 million children, are currently obese. According to Spanish Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of obesity is 25.8% for Spanish children, 25.8% versus 22 percent for non-Hispanic blacks and 14.1% for non-Hispanic white children.
10 outdoor game ideas for the whole family
While Covid-19 has generally spared the majority of the pediatric population, it is children suffering from obesity who are at greatest risk for the serious complications, including intubation and ICU admission.
In addition to Covid-19, the growing list of complications of childhood obesity is known to include diabetes, fatty liver disease, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, musculoskeletal problems and decreased self-esteem.

Previously healthy children are ill

Although it may seem like far-reaching effects from the stream, it is currently manifesting itself. Over the past few months, our clinics have filled with children who previously had healthy children who now have high blood pressure, increased markers for pre-diabetes and diabetes, children who deliberately start skipping meals after noticing their own weight gain, and children for whom the extra pound has translated into a new sleep apnea.

What do school gym classes look like in pandemic times
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently encouraged its more than 60,000 members of the pediatrician to continue to monitor, advise, and treat obesity as it arises, even in a pandemic, via interim guidance. But pediatricians cannot reverse this crisis alone.

As we begin guiding families to build healthier habits, an increase in mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety in both children and their parents, as well as the same interruptions that caused children to gain weight in the first place, can lead to obesity. more difficult to treat.

Mental health issues make it worse

Depression can make it difficult to plan meals, just as anxiety can sometimes lead to overeating. And to recommend that a child eat more vegetables is an impossibility for a mother who has no access to fresh fruits and vegetables and is just trying to feed hungry stomachs and keep the lights on; and physical activities inside can be a big task for a family of eight living in a single room.

How to motivate children for more distance education

Like many problems, the obesity epidemic has been going on for a long time and the Covid-19 pandemic is getting worse. However, as we begin to imagine a post-pandemic world, we have the opportunity to make significant improvements in childhood obesity and thereby in the long-term health of a generation.

Now is the time to support national health recommendations with the financial relief parents need to implement them. Schools will also need improved and sustained funding if they are to provide healthy school meals to the many children who have spent the best part of 2020 at home. We also need to find ways to serve the many small primary care offices across the country that provide primary care services and serve as safety nets for the vulnerable among us.

Although a vaccine will soon be available to many people, and the end of the pandemic seems more palpable, the consequences of the life disruption will remain with us for years to come. The health of a generation of children depends on our foresight, investment and dedication.

.Source