Kids cross 100-kg mark on weighing scale, leave doctors worried

Alarmed by the growing obesity burden, doctors say that there is an urgent need for government intervention, making physical activity compulsory for all school children. Almost two years ago, when Sri Ramachandra Hospital conducted a camp to screen obesity prevalence among children, they found a few cases of children whose body mass index was alarming. However, this time around, when the centre carried another screening camp for children in the age group of between 5 and 18 years, they were shocked to see an exponential rise in obesity. 

Dr J Dhivyalakshmi, in charge, Paediatric Endocrinology, says, “Out of the 70 children screened in the last few days, at least 25 per cent were obese and a significant number of them, both boys and girls, hit the 100-kg mark. These children are in the 12 plus age group.” The children who were screened included those residing in Maduravoyal, Avadi, Porur areas apart from Kancheepuram. Dr Dhivylakshmi adds that some of them had shown signs of fatty liver as well. “The adverse effects of obesity like hypertension and diabetes are well known, but many are still not aware that it can have an adverse impact on the kidney and liver as well.