Obesity is a global health issue that has received much
attention over the years and therefore it has become necessary to continuously
create and increase its awareness, hence the relevance of World Obesity Day. It
is important to first acknowledge all efforts made over the years in caring for
people living with obesity. We also take this opportunity to remind ourselves of how far we need to go in order to achieve
good health and well-being–SDG3.
Obesity is a form of malnutrition that is characterized
by a Body Mass Index of above 30 kilograms per meter squared. In more simple
terms, it
is when one’s weight is above the range within which their height is supposed to bare.
It remains a fact that obesity is one of the major health risk factors that
lead to non-communicable
diseases like hypertension, diabetes, stroke, heart conditions, to mention a few.
This health condition has become more alarming in the
past few years especially because it is affecting children and adolescents, as its rate has
increased almost five times for this age bracket. Analysis shows that,
approximately 19 percent of children in Ghana are either obese or overweight and this is a
serious public health concern due to its negative health implications for these children and a
pending future crisis for this nation.
It should however be noted that, the root cause of this
condition is not a simple basic factor but rather a cocktail that includes genetics,
dietary, lifestyle, psychological, environmental, economic and even sociocultural factors. One
major factor fueling the rise in obesity and overweight in Ghanaian children
is a change in dietary and lifestyle patterns.
In order to help our children win this war against
childhood obesity, we must be intentional about practicing and teaching them healthy
habits from the onset. For starters, let’s teach our children to spend more time doing
outdoor activities, as this increases their physical activity level and
causes a balance between energy intake and energy output. Parents and caregivers should also introduce
and increase high fiber foods like vegetables, whole grains and fruits into family
meals, as often as possible.
Now is the time to act, we can all play significant roles
to help secure the future of our generation.
Phoebe Nayra Mensa
Dietitian
Healthnet Airport Medical Center
