Childhood obesity is becoming more common by the day. And it’s impacting the health of our children to the extent that we’re now seeing some of them suffer from what we tend to think of as “adult problems” – high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

It’s interesting to note that while ayurveda recognizes how harmful obesity (sthaulya) can be and prescribes the adoption of healthy dietary and lifestyle measures to deal with it, there is no direct mention of childhood obesity in classical ayurvedic texts.

This seems to suggest that childhood obesity is a disorder of our times. So what exactly is childhood obesity and what are the factors that contribute to it?

What Is Childhood Obesity?

It is difficult to assess if a child is overweight because each child has a growth pattern and body structure that is individual to him or her. And they grow in unpredictable spurts. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to decide that your child is overweight based solely on your perception. It’s better to approach a healthcare professional who will take into account your child’s height, weight, and previous growth history to decide if they’re overweight.

A noteworthy increase in your child’s BMI (body mass index – which takes into account your weight in relation to your height) percentile rank over the course of a year can be a sign that your child may be on the path to becoming overweight.^[1][Preventing Childhood Obesity: Tips for Parents](https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/resources/obparnts.htm “Preventing Childhood Obesity: Tips for Parents”).Department of Health, New … Continue reading ^[2][Childhood obesity](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20354827 “Childhood obesity”).Mayo Clinic.

What Causes Childhood Obesity?

Many factors can combine together to increase the risk of your child becoming overweight. These can include:

• An unhealthy diet: Regularly having high-calorie foods, such as baked goods, candy, desserts, sugary drinks, fast foods, etc. can lead to weight gain.
• Lack of exercise: Children who don’t get sufficient exercise are more likely to gain extra pounds because they’re not burning as many calories as they should be.
• Family history: Genetic and hormonal factors can play a role in the development of childhood obesity. Your child may be more likely to put on extra weight if family members are overweight. However, this is particularly true if high calorie foods are easily available in your home and if physical activity is not encouraged in your family.
• Psychological factors: Stress – whether it’s parental, personal or family stress – can make it more likely that your child puts on extra weight. This is because some children use food to cope with emotions like stress or fight boredom.
• Certain medications: Some medicines such as amitriptyline, gabapentin, lithium, etc. can increase the risk of obesity. Speak to your doctor to find out if any medication your child is on increases their risk of obesity.^[3][Childhood obesity](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20354827 “Childhood obesity”).Mayo Clinic.

Meanwhile, though ayurveda does not address childhood obesity specifically it does identify aharatmak ghatak (dietary factors), viharatmak ghatak (lifestyle factors) such as lack of physical exercise and daytime sleeping, manas ghatak (psychological factors) as well as genetic predisposition (beejdosha) and indigestion (amarasa) as factors that contribute to obesity. According to ayurveda, a disorder in agni (digestive power) leads to the production of ama (the toxic product of food that has not been digested properly). This inhibits the proper formation of medo dhatu (fatty tissue), and the accumulation of medo dhatu leads to obesity or sthaulya. Increased deposition of medo dhatu also disturbs vata dosha which causes an increase in appetite.

How To Prevent Obesity In Children

Here’s what you can do to help prevent your child from becoming overweight or obese:

1. Encourage Kids To Eat Healthy

A healthy diet is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight. Consuming excess calories translates to extra pounds. Typically, children between the ages of:

• Two to four years need around 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day if they’re female and 1,000 to 1,600 calories if they’re male.
• Five to eight years need around 1,200 to 1,800 calories per day if they’re female and 1,200 to 2,000 calories if they’re male.
• Nine to thirteen years need around 1,400 to 2,200 calories per day if they’re female and 1,600 to 2,600 calories per day if they’re male.
• Fourteen to eighteen years need around 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day if they’re female and 2,000 to 3,200 calories per day if they’re male.^[4][Dietary Guidelines for Americans](https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf “Dietary Guidelines for Americans”).USDA.

Here are a few tips on how you can get your kids to have healthy foods.

• Keep healthy snacks handy. Stock your fridge with low fat or fat free milk, whole grain cereal, fresh veggies and fruits. Offer your kids healthy snacks like popcorn without butter, low fat yogurt, fruits, or baby carrots with a hummus dip. Don’t stock up on soft drinks or snacks which are high in fat or sugar. Remember if you don’t buy it they can’t have it.
• Be patient if your child is a picky eater. Don’t feel discouraged if she doesn’t take to a new (healthy) food immediately. You might need to offer new foods many times before she starts enjoying it. Children often require multiple exposures (8 to 10) to a food before they accept it.
• Don’t use food as a reward. It’s not a good idea to promise your child sugary candy in return for good behavior.
• Include fruits and veggies. Make sure you include at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits in your child’s meal plan each day.
• Listen to the body. Encourage your child to listen to her body’s cues – eat only when they’re hungry and eat slowly, savoring the food.
• Hydrate with water. Encourage your child to reach for that zero-calorie beverage when she’s thirsty- water! You can also try low fat or fat free milk. But discourage sugary drinks such as sports drinks, soda, and energy drinks. And while 100% fruit juice with no added sugars can be included in a healthy balanced diet do keep in mind that having the whole fruit gives you more fiber which can help with weight management.

Avoiding beverages with added sugars is especially important for children between the ages of 2 and 8 because sugary drinks are typically high in calories and not rich in nutrients. This makes it difficult for them to get all the nutrients that they need from the remaining calories that they should ideally consume in a day.^[5][Preventing Obesity in Children, Teens, and Adults](https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/obesity/preventing-obesity “Preventing Obesity in Children, Teens, and Adults”). … Continue reading ^[6][Childhood obesity](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20354827 “Childhood obesity”).Mayo Clinic. ^[7][Dietary Guidelines for Americans](https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf “Dietary Guidelines for Americans”).USDA.

2. Encourage Kids To Be Physically Active

Children are meant to be physically active – it’s fun! And it helps with weight management, strengthens bones, lowers blood pressure, improves self esteem and reduces anxiety and stress.

Between the ages of 3 and 5 years, kids should be active throughout the day, and they need at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day between the ages of 6 and 17.

Children can engage in aerobic activities (of moderate or vigorous intensity) everyday. They can also include activities that strengthen bones and muscles on at least 3 days in a week.

Some activities that children tend to enjoy include:

• Brisk walking, cycling (on flat surfaces), hiking, swimming, and games which require you to catch and throw count as moderate intensity aerobic activities.
• Running, games which involve chasing and running, martial arts, jumping rope, tennis, swimming, basketball etc. count as vigorous intensity aerobic activities.
• Tree climbing, rope climbing, tug of war, climbing on playground equipment etc. are activities that strengthen your muscles.
• Jumping, skipping, hopping, jumping rope, running etc. are bone strengthening activities.^[8][Tips to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight](https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/children/index.html “Tips to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight”). Centers for Disease Control and … Continue reading ^[9][Aerobic, Muscle- and Bone-Strengthening: What Counts for School-Aged Children and Adolescents?](https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/what_counts.htm “Aerobic, Muscle- and … Continue reading

3. Limit Screen Time

According to experts, children and teens should limit their TV/screen time (that includes time spent playing video games or surfing the web) to 2 hours a day. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children who are 2 years or younger shouldn’t be allowed to watch TV at all.^[10][Tips to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight](https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/children/index.html “Tips to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight”). Centers for Disease Control and … Continue reading This is because there is a lot of evidence that links the time you spend watching TV to excess weight.

Studies have found that:

• Children who watch more TV are more likely to gain excess weight.
• Children who have a TV set in their bedroom are more likely to gain excess weight when compared to those who don’t.
• Children who watch a lot of TV have an increased risk of poor fitness and being overweight even as adults.
• Experts suggest that television watching has such a detrimental effect on body weight through a range of mechanisms such as taking up time that could have been spent being physically active, offering opportunities for indulging in unhealthy snacks, interfering with proper sleep etc. Ads for high calorie, unhealthy foods that appear on TV can also play a role in encouraging children to have poor diets.^[11][Television Watching and “Sit Time”](https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/television-and-sedentary-behavior-and-obesity/ “Television Watching and “Sit … Continue reading

4. Encourage Kids To Get Enough Sleep

Not getting sufficient sleep is linked to obesity. Inadequate sleep can result in hormonal imbalances which lead to increased appetite. It can also make you less active physically. The amount of sleep that a child needs varies according to age. Typically:

• A baby between 4 to 12 months needs 12 to 16 hours in a day (that is, in 24 hours)
• A child between 1 to 2 years needs 11 to 14 hours per day
• A child between 3 to 5 years needs 10 to13 hours per day
• A child between 6 to 12 years needs 9 to12 hours per day
• A teenager between 13 to18 years needs 8 to10 hours per day.

Here are a few tips that can help your child sleep better:

• Set a regular bedtime and wake up time for your child. When you consistently go to bed and wake up at the same time each day it helps your body prepare for sleep.
• Encourage physical activity during the day. Exercising and being physically active can make it easier to fall asleep.
• Make sure your child avoids caffeine (which is present in coffee, soda, energy drinks, etc.) or large meals before she goes to bed.
• Discourage the use of electronic devices immediately before bedtime. It might be a good idea to remove devices such as phones, computers, and TVs from the bedroom.^[12][Are You Getting Enough Sleep?](https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/getting-enough-sleep.html “Are You Getting Enough Sleep?”).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

5. Be A Role Model For Your Kids

Children often pick up their dietary habits from their parents or other family members. Establishing healthy eating patterns that include nutrient-rich foods in your home helps your child learn these behaviors by observing you. Depending on your child’s age you can include them in shopping and cooking as well – that’s an opportunity to model healthy eating behaviors and impart valuable life skills to your child.^[13][Dietary Guidelines for Americans](https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf “Dietary Guidelines for Americans”).USDA.

6. Establish Healthy Eating Habits When Your Kids Are Young

By modeling and establishing healthy eating behaviors for your child you can help them pick up healthy habits that’ll stand them in good stead throughout their life. As your child grows older and enters their teenage years, they’ll have more autonomy and be more exposed to the influence of their peers. But you can continue to provide access to healthy foods and involve your kids in grocery shopping and cooking, as well as decisions about meals which can support healthy eating.^[14][Dietary Guidelines for Americans](https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf “Dietary Guidelines for Americans”).USDA.

FAQs

Q: Can childhood obesity be reversed?

Ans: Yes, a healthy diet (that’s nutrient rich but doesn’t contain excessive calories) and physical exercise can help reverse childhood obesity.

Q: What is the root cause of childhood obesity?

Ans: Having an unhealthy diet that’s high in calories and not getting sufficient physical activity are the main contributors to childhood obesity. However genetic and hormonal factors may also play a role in the development of this condition.

Q: How bad is childhood obesity?

Ans: Childhood obesity can lead to many physical complications such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, joint pain, breathing problems, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It may also cause social and emotional problems.^[15][Childhood obesity](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20354827 “Childhood obesity”).Mayo Clinic.