Evangeline oparaocha
Federal University of Technology, Nigeria
Title: Child obesity in Nigerian: Causes, health impacts and prevention
Biography
Biography: Evangeline oparaocha
Abstract
Childhood obesity is a complex health issue. It occurs when a child is well above the normal or healthy weight and height for his or her age. Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and more likely to develop non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. The causes of excess weight gain in young people in Nigeria, are similar to those in adults and major factors are life style and genetics. Behaviors that have been observed to influence excess weight gain in Nigerian children, include high calorie, low-nutrient foods, increased portion size, over consumption of beverages, not getting enough physical activity, sedentary activities such as watching television or other screen devices, medication use, and sleep routines.
In contrast, consuming a healthy diet and being physically active can help children grow as well as maintain a healthy weight throughout childhood. Balancing energy or calories consumed from foods and beverages with the calories burned through activity plays a role in preventing excess weight. In addition, eating healthy and being physically active also has other health benefits and help to prevent chronic diseases such as cancers, neurological and renal disorders, as well as heart diseases later in life which are usually products of child obesity.