Children with obesity have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases at a young age and more often face a reduced quality of life. This was pointed out by the Public Health Office (ÚVZ) of the Slovak Republic on the occasion of World Obesity Day on its website. He announced a nationwide art competition for primary schools on the theme “Healthy food – healthy body – healthy Earth”.
“Obesity is considered one of the serious public health problems today. Overweight and obesity increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome or some types of cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this is a global problem, the incidence of which has been increasing rapidly in recent decades and affects all age groups,” pointed out ÚVZ.
Therefore, the office, in cooperation with regional public health offices and the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, announced the 4th annual art competition for primary school classes in Slovakia. “The competition starts on March 9 (the move is due to the spring holidays at elementary schools), when we will appeal to elementary school students and teachers to participate,” he explained.
He explained that the theme of the art competition is “Healthy food – healthy body – healthy Earth”. According to ÚVZ, this topic points to the connection between eating habits, children’s health and the state of the environment. “Through the art competition, we want to motivate children in a playful and creative way to think about healthy eating, exercise and a responsible approach to the planet, thereby supporting the building of healthier habits for the future.” experts pointed out.
Several factors contribute to obesity. This was pointed out by the Regional Office of Public Health (RÚVZ) Bratislava. He said that the incidence of overweight and obesity has increased significantly in recent decades. According to experts, this problem also appears more and more often in children and adolescents.
According to RÚVZ, several factors contribute to obesity, which often combine with each other. These include excessive energy intake, inappropriate eating habits or lack of physical activity. It can also contribute to obesity lack of sleep and increased level of stress, genetic predispositions, hormonal disorders (eg thyroid disorders) the use of certain medications or the influence of the family and social environment.
RÚVZ explained that obesity is a condition in which excess body fat is stored in the body. BMI (Body Mass Index) is most often used to assess appropriate body weight. “This indicator is calculated as the ratio of body weight to the square of body height. In addition to BMI, measurements of waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) are used in health risk assessment to help assess the distribution of body fat in the body,” added Zuzana Klinčáková from the RÚVZ Health Counseling Office.
Part of prevention is mainly a balanced and varied diet with enough fruits, vegetables and fiber, regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes a day) or limiting the consumption of sugary drinks and highly processed foods. Getting enough sleep is also important. According to the office, public awareness and the promotion of healthy habits from childhood also play an important role.
