There’s an ample evidence that suggest that early prevention efforts has to start at the very early age in life, from the mother’s womb up to its toddler years, as far as child obesity is concerned.
The evidence has further suggested that childhood obesity is difficult to alter by the time when they are in their preschool years.
The following findings suggest that:
*** Babies are at risk for being obese later if they sleep less than 12 hours and even greater risk if they are watching 2 hours or more on TV daily while don’t have enough sleep.
*** Mothers who smoke during pregnancy, the babies are at risk of becoming obese though they are usually small at birth.
*** That chubby babies, nice looking though may be growing too much for his or her own good, as research suggests.
Doctors have recommended that overweight women should lose weight before pregnancy, to avoid the risk of having obese and diabetic children.
Breastfeeding is highly recommended to lower the risk of obesity in children. One of ten children under age two in the US is overweight.
Child obesity has increased to 12.4% in 2006 from 5% in 1980. However, weight or diet restriction on young children have been avoided based on the current policy, the other reason most probably that they are still physically and mentally developing and should not be deprived the nutrients needed whatever to these children.
Dr. Elsie Taveras of Harvard Medical School has put it the new evidence “raises the question whether our policies during the last ten years have been enough, that’s not to say they’ve been wrong, obviously it’s important to improve access to healthy food in schools and increase opportunities for exercise, but it might not be enough.”
Late last year, the Institute of Medicine Study Committee has been set up for developing obesity prevention recommendations at ages 0 – 5 set. It will include the role of sleep, early feeding pattern and also physical activity.