We are part of the Terkku project
We are three nursing students from Diaconia University of Applied Sciences and we are part of the Terkku project in spring 2021. The aim of the Terkku project is develop a model of outreach work and provide low-threshold information on non-communicable diseases to immigrants. The Terkku project is funded by the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA). We are organising an online event in cooperation with the Finland-Russia Society, of which the topic is the prevention of type II diabetes in children and and raising awareness of childhood obesity and its challenges. With the help of experts, our goal is to inform parents of Russian children living in Finland childhood and adolescent obesity and its harms, such as type II diabetes.
As a parent, you can influence your child's well-being
Obesity affects a child's life in many different ways. The increase of screen time has a worrying effect on the development of the weight of children and adolescents. A healthy diet, as well as adequate exercise, prevent weight gain.
Increased obesity among children and adolescents
The last few decades have seen the emergence of a worrying phenomenon of increasing obesity among children and adolescents. 23%-27% of boys and 13-19% of girls aged 2 to 16 are overweight. Children's obesity usually persists until adulthood and up to 9/10 overweight teenagers will also be overweight in adulthood. Therefore, it's important to help the child reach normal weight. Parents of children and adolescents are in the best position to help children manage their weight.
A child and a young person gain weight in the same way as an adult if more energy is obtained than is consumed. The most common reasons for this equation are poor eating habits as well as increased screen time, which often leads to reduced physical activity.
There are many disadvantages caused by obesity in children and adolescents, such as various diseases, for example type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension. In children and adolescents, their large size can cause clumsiness that restricts participation in play and sports. Overweight children can easily be excluded from a group of friends and are more often the targets of bullying than children of normal weight.
Towards better health with good choices
Obesity in growing children and adolescents is treated in such a way that eating habits are made to healthier and physical activity is increased. No diets are used in children, because later in the childhood, height gain will compensate for obesity. Do not talk about dieting in front of the child, as this may increase the risk of developing eating disorders as a parent.
In order to correct a child's obesity, the goal is to reduce calories from food and drink by providing lower-calorie normal food. The goal is to have regular meal rhythms according to the plate model. The appropriate number for children and adolescents is 4-6 meals per day. An important principle is that parents are responsible for what the child eats, but it's up to the child to decide how much they eat at which meal.
In children's physical activity, the primary goal is to reduce sitting and increase activity, such as by reducing the child's screen time.
Screen time affects children's obesity
The maximum screen time per day should be 2 hours. As sitting decreases, movement increases. Children learn exercise habits early on. Parents' own physical example gives children a basis for creating physical lifestyles. It's important for parents and educators to take the child to explore various outdoor environments, such as forests and parks. According to their age level, the child must be allowed to familiarise themselves with their surroundings by experimenting and inventing different ways of movement. It's important to allow the child to walk on their own two feet and to do things with their own hands.
Is your child exercising enough?
Children under school age should exercise for at least 3 hours every day as diversely as possible. A day should have 1 hour of fast-paced physical activity, such as tag games, swimming, or jumping, and 2 hours of brisk outdoor activities or lighter exercise, such as walking or swinging. A child between the ages of 7 and 18 is recommended to move at least 1.5-2 hours a day in a varied and age-appropriate way.
Parents have a lot of opportunities to influence the health and future of their children and adolescents. Healthy lifestyles learned at a young age have an impact throughout life.
