Introduction
Obesity in school-aged children negatively influences their health, educational accomplishment, and quality of life. Children who have obesity have a high possibility of proceeding with the problem into adulthood, over and above the danger of chronic illnesses. Augmented screen time raises the probability of children developing pediatric obesity because of the inadequacy of physical activity and unhealthy consumption habits (Goncalves, Byrne, Viana, & Trost, 2019). Irrespective of the increased international incidence, there is still low awareness of the impact of pediatric obesity. Increased physical exercise, lessened screen time, and healthy consumption are valuable practices in the prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity.
Evidence-Based Strategies
Lessening of screen time, consumption of balanced diet and less high-calorie foods, and increased physical exercise are vital strategies that have been found successful in the reduction of pediatric obesity among school-aged children. Furthermore, the significance of maintaining these healthy habits is evident in their evasion of numerous other health complications linked to obesity, including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases (An, Shen, Yang, & Yang, 2019). The emotional and physical impacts of pediatric obesity on school-aged children are weighty. Pediatric obesity leads to sentiments of isolation, stigmatization, depression, and suicidal ideations, mainly when the issue continues to adolescence.
Attributable to stigmatization and depression, school-aged children who have obesity might turn to increased eating to tackle their negative sentiments, which exacerbates the problem, in addition to other comorbidities, for example, diabetes. Caregivers should ponder all the aspects of children; that is, body, mind, and soul, as well as environmental influences when tackling pediatric obesity. Concerning the environmental facet, parents should provide a safe ground for children to undertake their physical activities outside the house (Jastreboff et al., 2018). Children ought to be encouraged to participate in games with their friends, ride bicycles, run, walk, among other physical exercises. Where there are no playgrounds or other secure fields, children may not have the opportunity to play outside or engage in sufficient physical exercise. At such times, sedentary life is encouraged, and children tend to spend excessively much time playing video games or watching TV.
Strategies to Implement
One of the strategies that will be used to implement the program is the reduction of screen time. Parents should limit their children’s time with gadgets such as smartphones or TV to approximately two hours every day to create room for physical exercise. Augmented screen time undesirably sways a child’s sleep durations, and this adds to the likelihood of developing pediatric obesity (Robinson, 2017). Parents will be encouraged to ensure no television, smartphones, or laptops in the children’s bedroom. Furthermore, there ought to be limited use of phones, video games, the Internet, or watching television by children. Exposure to TV adverts highlighting unhealthy foods might promote the consumption of such foodstuff and outdo the intake of healthy alternatives.
The second strategy that will be employed to implement the program is the eradication of a sedentary lifestyle through promoting increased physical exercise. An active life assists in the reduction of the probability of developing obesity. The provision of playgrounds, walkways, gyms, parks, and other amenities strongly influences daily physical activity patterns among children positively (Stark, Devine, & Dollahite, 2017). This aspect generates vital opportunities for planners in metropolitan places to establish suitable environs that promote physical exercise among children.
Workplan Table.
Conclusion
Obesity in school-aged children has a negative influence on their health, educational achievement, and quality of life. Enhanced physical exercise, diminished screen time, and healthy consumption patterns are valuable practices in the deterrence and treatment of pediatric obesity. Decreased screen time, consumption of balanced diet and minimal high-calorie foods, and augmented physical exercise are vital practices that have been found effective in the prevention of pediatric obesity amongst school-aged children. Children ought to be allowed to participate in games with their colleagues, ride bicycles, run, walk, and have other physical exercise plans.
References
Almutairi, S. H. G. (2020). The effectiveness of school-based in reducing and preventing childhood obesity in China. International Journal of Health and Clinical Research, 3(2), 9-29.
An, R., Shen, J., Yang, Q., & Yang, Y. (2019). Impact of built environment on physical activity and obesity among children and adolescents in China: A narrative systematic review. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8(2), 153-169. Web.
Goncalves, W. S. F., Byrne, R., Viana, M. T., & Trost, S. G. (2019). Parental influences on screen time and weight status among preschool children from Brazil: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16(1), 1-8. Web.
Jastreboff, A. M., Chaplin, T. M., Finnie, S., Savoye, M., Stults-Kolehmainen, M., Silverman, W. K., & Sinha, R. (2018). Preventing childhood obesity through a mindfulness-based parent stress intervention: A randomized pilot study. The Journal of pediatrics, 202, 136-142. Web.
Robinson, S. M. (2017). Preventing childhood obesity: Early‐life messages from epidemiology. Nutrition Bulletin, 42(3), 219-225.
Stark, C. M., Devine, C. M., & Dollahite, J. S. (2017). Characteristics associated with the application of an ecological approach to preventing childhood obesity. Public health nutrition, 20(1), 174-182. Web.