Children and adolescents are at risk for lifestyle-related diseases at an increasingly early age: unhealthy diets, excessive weight and sedentary lifestyles contribute to health risks.
Adult diseases that are usually associated with adulthood - type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease - can also begin in childhood. The more serious concern is not only children starting to get overweight; it is how early exposure to unhealthy environments can impact long-term health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 390 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight in 2022, including more than 160 million living with obesity. The proportion of children and adolescents aged 5-19 who were overweight, including obesity, increased from 8% in 1990 to 20% in 2022. Childhood and adolescent obesity are associated with a greater risk and earlier onset of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
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Why are lifestyle diseases appearing earlier?
One of the fundamental reasons for the change in the health landscape is that children’s daily lives are now becoming much more about sitting and watching TV, playing video games or interacting with other screen-based entertainment. But outdoor play and regular physical activity are also limited by urbanisation, school and work schedule pressures and changing recreational habits.
Diet is just another factor. Energy-dense foods high in sugar, unhealthy fats and salt contribute to excess calorie intake. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity as behavioral risk factors of noncommunicable diseases. These factors can result in metabolic changes like overweight and obesity, high blood glucose, high blood pressure and abnormal blood lipid levels.
It is particularly important because the impact of childhood obesity can last beyond childhood. WHO says children and adolescents who have obesity are more likely to become obese as adults and are at a higher risk of noncommunicable diseases at a younger age. That makes childhood an important period for preventative measures so that health problems are identified before they develop later in life.
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India faces a growing childhood nutrition challenge
But the issue is also getting more and more pertinent in India. UNICEF India has noticed a rise in overweight and obesity across the population from young children to adolescents and adults. The organisation has described a broader nutritional shift in which undernutrition is still present alongside rising levels of overweight and obesity.
That’s what health experts call a complex nutrition challenge. A child’s nutritional deficiencies are compounded with diets that increase the risk of excessive weight and metabolic problems. Excess consumption during late childhood and early adolescence can lead to obesity and increased risk of noncommunicable diseases, UNICEF says.
But the reasons for these changes are more complex than decisions about food. WHO points to a broader environmental and social context that includes access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, urban planning, food marketing and socioeconomic conditions. In general, children do not have much control over these environments and it is up to families, schools, communities, healthcare systems and policymakers to prevent this.
Type 2 Diabetes and Blood Pressure concerns
Type 2 diabetes is one of the conditions that are gaining more attention in the current discussion around childhood obesity and unhealthy habits. Obesity in childhood is associated with increased risk of developing diabetes, and excess weight and metabolic risk factors increase the risk.
Blood pressure is another area that needs attention. WHO mentions that overweight or obesity, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets are among the factors that can increase hypertension risk. Regular medical examination can help identify health concerns early, particularly if a child has risk factors that warrant monitoring.
But it is important not to simply assess body weight as a whole measure of a child’s health. Children grow at different rates and assessments should be made for age, sex, growth patterns and clinical context. Parents concerned about a child’s weight, blood pressure, blood sugar or other symptoms should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional rather than judging them based on adult health benchmarks.
Building Healthier Habits Early
Not to mention that the solution to prevent lifestyle-related health problems does not require extreme diets or intensive exercise programmes for children. Instead, health organisations stress healthy eating and diverse diets, physical activity and a healthy environment.
Families can encourage children to eat more healthy food – fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other nutritious foods – while also cutting down on eating foods and drinks that are high in added sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. A lot of children may also develop healthy routines by having access to age-appropriate physical activity and outdoor play.
Schools should help in that way: with healthy food choices, physical education and opportunities for movement during the school day. Communities also have a role to play to help children walk, cycle and play safely.
The wider message from health organisations is that childhood is one of the key opportunities to prevent future diseases. UNICEF India says many preventable adult noncommunicable disease risks arise from factors that start during adolescence, making early intervention particularly important.
So the current childhood health crisis goes beyond simply concerns about weight. It is about developing healthy eating, movement and lifestyle habits for children prior to chronic disease becoming entrenched. With the global obesity epidemic in childhood overweight and obesity still rising, these factors together with early detection, health monitoring, and supportive environments will be essential for the future to prevent lifestyle-related diseases.
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