Childhood obesity
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Blocked arteries, liver problems, Type 2 diabetes: conditions linked to obesity are no longer just affecting middle-aged Australians; now it's our children too. Melissa Cranenburgh reports
This article first appeared in RideOn Febuary-March 2006 issue.
‘Carol’ is 11 years old. Her parents drive her to and from school because they think it’s safer than riding or walking. When Carol gets home she turns on the computer and chats with friends online. Later she’ll settle down to homework, dinner, then some TV and bed. She doesn’t do any exercise, apart from compulsory school sport, which she dreads because she always fumbles with the ball and running makes her breathless.
When she’s at home, she rarely goes outside to play with other children; her parents don’t want her to cycle or walk around the streets because they’re concerned about traffic hazards and “stranger danger”. When friends come over they usually watch DVDs or muck around on the computer.
Carol goes out with her family on the weekends: they usually go to the local shopping centre to watch a film and stop off at an all-you-can eat restaurant on the way.
At 11, Carol is already contributing to an alarming statistic. She is one of an estimated 1.5 million Australian children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. And their number is growing.
Growing concerns
As children get fatter, diseases that once plagued overweight adults are affecting younger and younger age groups. And the role call is troubling: high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, breathing difficulties, asthma, skin problems and even – in extreme cases – Type 2 diabetes.
And not only is carrying weight into teenage years likely to affect children’s health, their self-confidence can also plunge. A study in the US five years ago linked obesity to declining self-esteem in adolescents, particularly among girls. The study also found that young people identified as having low self-esteem were more likely to start smoking and drinking than those who had more self-confidence.
Who is at risk?
Obesity has become a bigger problem in recent years. Between 1985 and 1995 the number of overweight children doubled and obesity in children tripled. And that figure is accelerating. In the following two years the number of overweight or obese children doubled again. Unfortunately there are no more current figures, but experts fear that the trend is continuing.
So what’s going on? Over the past few decades children have been eating less fruit and vegetables and more ‘energy-dense’ foods like soft-drinks and energy bars. At the same time they are less physically active, spending more time in sedentary pursuits like watching TV and playing on the computer.
According to child health professional Dr Louise Baur, hereditary does play a role in obesity. But she says it’s important to look at other factors as well.
“Yes there are genetically-predisposed people, but of course families share a lot of other things like environment.”
What is clear is that parents’ behaviour is fundamental to children’s lifestyle choices.
“It’s important to take a whole family approach, particularly for pre-adolescents. Create an environment that’s helpful for the child. Role modelling, that’s really important. Make healthy choices possible,” Dr Baur says.
Going for family bike rides is a good way to encourage young children to ride. For older children, research has indicated that if they associate bike riding with socialising – if it means hanging out with friends – they are more likely to have fun on two wheels.
Overriding barriers
Riding to and from school can have many benefits for children. Not only is it a regular form of exercise, it increases independence and promotes self-confidence.
The main barriers to children riding to school are a lack of school support, inadequate crossings or cycle paths and parents’ perceptions that their children could be at risk, from both traffic and “stranger danger”.
There are a number of government and community initiatives to make sure children can ride to school safely. To find out more, visit www.bv.com.au (Search: riding to school).