Child obesity is increasingly becoming common in our society. It was previously considered as a problem in the western countries. Children nowadays are weighing more than what is recommended in their age groups. It is hilarious how parents cringe at the thought of their children being underweight during clinic check-ups, and do not give the same reaction to being overweight.

Parents are having a flawed notion that the heavier the child, the healthier they are. This is totally incorrect as it poses numerous dangers to the child’s life. Have we noticed the increasing number of cases of children with diabetes? Many of them are on the insulin injections every single day. We are also having cases of high blood pressure among children.

Why are we encouraging children to take part in computer and phone games more than outdoor games? When i was growing up, we would spend most of our days outside during the holidays! Nowadays children spend most of the time sitting down watching TV. We as parents should be at the forefront to ensure that they engage in games such as riding bikes.

What food are we feeding our children? We have become very busy and barely have time to cook food for our children. Take outs have become part of our daily routine. It has been made worse by the ease of ordering food from the comfort of our homes. Extra effort should be put in making healthy home made foods at home.

Who takes care of most chores at home? Most of us have domestic workers at home, but once in our while, children should help. Involving them in a few chores engages them in physical activities. You might not have enough space for the children to play outside but with the bit of work at home they will definitely keep fit.

I believe that we should take care of our children’s weight because of very many reasons. Apart from the numerous health conditions discussed, we also have to consider their self esteem! Obese children suffer from bullying from their fellow students at school.

With all the  love we have for our children, can we now watch their weight?

Lots of love,

Ruguru Kimani.