By George Joseph

Lockdown and other restrictions boosted up obesity in youngsters

“Obesity can happen to anyone despite of age and gender” – Jokkymama, NHS Nurse

In the UK it is estimated that the NHS spent 6.1 billion on over weight – (Mail Online)

Jokkymama, an NHS nurse in Northern Ireland, said that the pandemic has resulted an increase in obesity in youngsters. Lockdown and other restrictions stopped youngsters from activities like sports and gym, she added. She also warned that obesity can happen to anyone despite of the age. It can lead to diabetics and hypertension.

As per a report from the BBC Food, UK is listed at top as one of the heaviest countries in Europe. It is reported that almost 64% of the British adults are overweight. Most of the people have 25 or more body mass index (BMI). More than 10% people in the UK have a BMI of 35 or more, the report elaborates.

According to NHS UK, BMI is a measure that uses the height and weight of a person to check whether the weight is appropriate. A recent survey carried out by Statista, shows that the UK’s average BMI for a young man is 24.7 to 26.8. For young women it is 24.5 to 27.2.

Nithin Raj was a former dietician. He works as a senior care giver in presently in Malta, Europe. He suggests some diet plan to sweep away obesity. He says;

” The best way to get rid of obesity is to stop consuming unhealthy and high-energy food choices, such as fast food, processed food including alcohol. A healthy diet should have plenty of fruit and vegetables, plenty of potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and so on.
It should include some milk and dairy foods, some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein, just small amounts of food and drinks that are high in fat and sugar. Try to avoid foods containing high levels of salt because they can raise your blood pressure, which can be dangerous for people who are already obese.”

Jokkymama, also mentioned that one of the major reasons for early obesity is eating habits. Youngsters are more fond of junk foods. One in three children are in risk of getting over weight due to this. She insisted that visiting a specialist doctor or a nutritionist is another means to keep away obesity. Actively participating in sports or any other physical activity will lead to healthier life, she concluded.

On the other hand, the Scottish government has announced a funding aims to reduce early childhood obesity into half by 2030.

It is a major concern for the NHS as it spends more than 6.1 billion pounds each year on over weight. Obesity in Scotland is higher. It shows a strong link with inequalities. As per the Scottish public health, lower socio- economic standards is a reason for higher obesity levels.