Increasing obesity problem in youth

TOPIC OF THE MONTH: Recent statistics show that more and more children, and youth especially, are becoming obese. What could be the reasons and remedies for this situation today?

It is clear that obesity is very common among children between 12 to 18 years old. The most common causes are eating excessive junk food, not exercising regularly and stress. Obesity causes many complications in a child’s physical, social and emotional well-being. These days, children are careless and they adapt bad eating habits such as eating junk food. Also, when children play video games or surf the internet, they sit idle in one place and barely move, contributing to obesity. We should start with ourselves by not eating junk food and by exercising to reduce the rate of obesity.
Aadya Kumar (12)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

Obesity is a common disease which is mainly caused by excess eating and not exercising. Today’s youth are becoming lazy because of this. We can prevent it if we choose healthy eating options, limit the amount of food we eat, and avoid junk food and beverages. We also need to be limiting our screen time and exercising regularly. With these methods, obesity can be prevented and our youth will be healthy and fit.
Aastha Agarwal (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

Nowadays, we see many children, especially the youth, becoming obese. The reason behind this increase in obesity is that the young generation do not get involved in physical activities but are busy with their gadgets; they are also more dependent on junk and unhealthy foods. To lower this percentage, we should do some physical activities and exercise regularly to stay fit and healthy. We need to change our daily routines and eating habits. 
Ariba Fatma (16)
St Joseph Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna 

In my opinion, obesity or being overweight is nowadays more of a psychological problem than a physical one, despite being related to one’s physique physically. It is needless to say that today’s youth and many others are easily becoming victims of obesity. “Anything too much or in excess is bad or harmful.” Some of the reasons could be hormonal deficiency, hereditary differences, inappropriate diets, lack of moderation in eating and drinking, lack of physical and mental exercises, medicinal defects and so on. The remedy for this situation today could be: consistency in doing physical and mental exercises, following adequate and proper diets, maintaining a good time-sense for meals, avoiding alcoholic drinks, and eating fresh vegetables and eatables that contain more proteins and vitamins.
Uday (25)
Don Bosco Philosophate, Karunapuram, Warangal

Yes, it is true that obesity has increased in children and in youth today, the biggest reason for this is lack of physical exercise and eating too many calories, although sometimes family genes and stress are factors, too. By changing our eating habits, including exercise in our daily routine and avoiding the causes of stress, we can avoid obesity and other diseases in the future.
Aparajita Mani (13)
Naval Children School, NSB Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

Nowadays, teens are so addicted to mobile phones that they spend most of their time indoors. Due to the dearth of physical exercise and constant sitting, the fuel provided by food is not used and is stored as fat. To become fit, youth can do simple yoga or try different sports of their interest, or even schedule a workout routine. Aside from this, one should eat wholesome food with proper nutrients.
Amrita Khaira (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

Youngsters, especially school-going children, are becoming obese day-by-day. Genetics, socio-economic factors and poor lifestyle are some of the causes of obesity. When parents are obese, this may be passed down to their children. Overeating and a sedentary lifestyle also contribute to obesity. A diet full of sugary, high fat and refined food leads to weight gain. Watching TV for a long time also plays a part. Here are some solutions: Exercise daily for at least 30 minutes. Have a balanced diet full of vitamins and minerals. Instead of playing indoors, children should be encouraged to play outside in the open air.
Sneha Sharma (14)
St Mary’s Convent Inter College, Prayagraj

Statistics show that 1 in 5 children are prey to obesity. For this, some industries are to blame. These industries produce addictive junk food which once tasted is tough to relinquish. Children prefer online games to outdoor games. To restore their health, children must be bound to a small limit for using electronics and eating fast food. Good health leads to a smarter personality and higher self-esteem.
Janisha Bhatia (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

Obesity is a serious medical condition that affects youth. Regularly eating high-calorie fast food, lack of exercise, personal or parental stress, socio-economic factors, etc., lead to obesity. In certain conditions obesity may include diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. To prevent obesity, the eating and the exercise habits of children must be properly developed.
Rashmo Mehta (15)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

India has the second-highest number of obese children in the world with 14.4 million cases. The number increased rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic when physical activities among children were reduced comprehensively and the youth suffered several drawbacks in their lives and had a stressful time. Some other important factors are high consumption of calorie-loaded food, sedentary lifestyle and reduced physical activities and exercises. To prevent obesity, we should cut down on sugary food items and beverages. Instead, we should include healthy, leafy and protein-rich food items in our diet as they help in our all-round body development. We should get a good amount (approximately 7-8 hours) of sleep daily, and perform physical activities and exercises. Children should spend a limited amount of time with their gadgets as a sedentary lifestyle is enough to cause excess body weight. It is essential for the young generation, especially children, to have a normal body weight. If not taken care of, there are maximum chances for the children to gain weight when they grow up. Obesity can lead to adverse health effects like diabetes and high blood pressure. Thus, it is extremely necessary for the youth to have a normal body weight.
Anwesha Ajay (12)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna