WiRED Launches Childhood Obesity Module
BY ALLISON KOZICHAROW; EDITED BY BERNICE BORN
O
besity is a global crisis, now on the rise in low-income countries, and together with overweight, is linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. And yet obesity is completely preventable, especially if people develop healthy habits in childhood.
WiRED International just released a module on childhood obesity into its Health Learning Center — part of the Becoming a Parent section in WiRED’s soon-to-be-completed 24-part Mother and Child Health Series.
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What is obesity? Obesity and overweight are defined as having excess body weight from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Body mass index, or BMI, is a widely used screening tool for measuring both overweight and obesity. In addition to weight, the BMI takes into account a person’s height and age.
WiRED’s Childhood Obesity Module covers the condition’s causes and consequences, how to measure height and weight and how to calculate the BMI. It reviews the role parents and guardians play and encourages healthy eating habits and physical activity, both important factors in the prevention of obesity.
The global prevalence of obesity is alarming. Obesity, the World Health Agency reports, has nearly tripled since 1975. In Africa, the number of overweight children under 5 has increased by nearly 50% since 2000.
The bottom line of weight control is that the number of calories people consume must not exceed the number of calories they expend. Learn about childhood obesity by taking a look at WiRED’s module.
You can download the module in this story, and all 400+ of our health modules, through WiRED’s Health Module Access Program (HealthMAP) by clicking here. This easy to use program will enable you to create your own customized library of health education training modules. You can learn more about HealthMAP through WiRED's animation.
Health Risks of Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity can lead to both immediate and future health consequences as follows:
- High blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
- Increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
- Breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea.
- Joint problems and musculoskeletal discomfort.
- Fatty liver disease, gallstones and gastro-esophageal reflux (i.e., heartburn).
- Psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
- Low self-esteem and lower self-reported quality of life.
- Social problems such as bullying and stigma.
- Adult obesity, which is associated with serious health conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
WiRED’s Mother and Child Health Series
WiRED’s Mother and Child Health Series provides a 24-part comprehensive training program to assist families, caregivers, community health workers and others with subjects related to the following four topics: Before Pregnancy, Pregnant Now, Labor and Delivery, and Parenting. The Mother and Child Health series will be used by schools, clinics and hospitals and nongovernmental organizations that help families prepare for a healthy pregnancy, delivery and the years of childhood up to age five.
WiRED embraces WHO’s maternal, newborn and child health principle, “Continuum of Care,” in which skilled care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period prevents complications and allows for their early detection and appropriate management.
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