Childhood obesity is an increasing problem the world over including India. Many parents still cling on to a firm belief that a chubby child is a healthy child and fondly refer to their

overweight and obese children as ‘healthy’.

The prevalence of obesity in India varies significantly primarily dependent on which socioeconomic group is being studied. In children attending private schools the incidence is reported to be as high as 25% and in government schools about 5.9%.

The first step is to identify that child is overweight or obese and the best screening tool is the BMI or the Body Mass Index. The BMI is calculated based on the age, the gender , the height and the weight of the child and should be plotted when the child is otherwise healthy and not suffering from illnesses on a six monthly basis in the child older than 3 years and more frequently when younger.

Which children are more likely to become obese (and therefore require additional alertness on part of parents and pediatricians)?

The family history is most important. If there is family history of:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Cardiovascular disease

then your child is at greater risk and you need to take proactive measures to ensure that you child does not even become overweight let alone obese.