At this pre-school almost 25 per cent of the children are overweight
Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com
A friend who runs a pre-nursery school for 2-3-year-olds in Delhi was narrating this incident to me the other day. She mentioned how one child -- 42 kg at the age of two -- fell on her arm and broke it with her own weight while coming down a slide. The parents were angry with the school and complained that they should have been more vigilant.
Well, while accidents like this will happen, the question that comes to mind is: why should a two-year-old weigh 42 kg to start with. At this pre-school, my friend says, almost 25 per cent of the children are overweight. She says that despite this, many parents send three tiffins each with their children who are there for a maximum of two to three hours post-breakfast and pre-lunch. She says that parents also get upset if all three tiffins are not empty when they collect their children. Again, the teachers take the flak for not having stuffed the paranthas, cakes and biscuits -- the list is long -- down the throats of the toddlers. She says feeding is an obsession with several parents and evokes the fiercest response in them.
Last week I happened to take two trains (in and out of Delhi). On each occasion, there were around 12-15 children in my compartment, some toddlers and others ranging from 8 to 18. I don't know if my compartment was an aberration but I couldn't help but notice how almost all the children were out of shape. Some were outright obese and others had protruding bellies (although not from malnutrition). Almost invariably, the obese children were surrounded by parents who also appeared larger than life to me. I considered offering to help them lift their progeny many times during the journey -- that's how much were they struggling with the weight of what was expected of them.
That's why I wasn't surprised to learn that almost 30 million Indians (Obesity Foundation India data) are obese and their number is expected to double in the next five years.
Then this whole Maggi controversy also got me thinking. Why are so many mothers mourning the loss of Maggi when it clearly has no or very little nutritional value? Do we want to feed our children Maggi just because it is ready in 2 or 3 minutes -- even if it is equivalent to swallowing cardboard paper?
Of course, as countries develop and grow, one sees an increase in the size of its population. Chinese men and women -- traditionally not known for their height -- are now making it to the National Basketball Association and participating in other basketball competitions. No longer are they short in stature, although people still tend to think so.
But it is important to ensure that even as sizes grow, children remain healthy. We don't want to land up in a situation where airlines consider charging fares based on the weight of the passengers -- something that has been considered in developed countries like the United States that is struggling against obesity.
I asked a couple of friends -- two paediatricians and one nutritionist -- why this is happening and what parents can do to control the situation before it goes out of hand. Most of what they said was common sense but some of it may be worth repeating to those willing to listen.
One, feed them by all means, but feed them sensibly. You cannot keep stuffing things down their throats and that too stuff they mostly don't need. If, from an early age, you encourage them to eat healthy, it is the way they will adopt even in the future. In a way, you are taking life-long decisions for them. What they see from the very start is what they will continue to do in the future. Of course, you can't take all the joy out of eating by watching every morsel they consume, but you need to find the balance. They can't.
Two, don't take the easy way out. Just because you are busy and can't find the time to cook something fresh and healthy, don't stuff them with processed or ready foods that are low in nutrition. If junk food becomes the daily staple, you are asking for trouble. Let junk food be something to look forward to, and not the daily norm. This also means keeping some kind of check on their pocket money.
And third, push them to play and exercise and the only way to do that effectively is to do it yourself. If your children see you swim, run, walk or play a sport, it will come to them naturally. If they see you slumped in front of the television with a giant packet of chips and cola, well...
Note: The picture is used only for representational purpose
Photograph: Will Gurley/Wikimedia Commons
