According to the newest health monitor by Statistics Netherlands, and health institutes RIVM and GGD, half of the residents of the Netherlands are overweight. This statistic wouldn’t be so alarming if the percentage of obesity among the Dutch hadn’t increased in 25 percent since 2012. However, one of the biggest problems the country is still dealing with is the weight amongst children. In fact, only in 2016, Statistics Netherlands reported a 10 percent increase compared to the year before, with 13.4 percent of kids between the ages of 4 and 20 years being overweight. These circumstances induced Amsterdam healthcare primarily to take immediate action and work closely with modern health centers, trustworthy medical services and professionals to start creating smart and sustainable solutions.
Sugar Consumption Among Highest in the World
A Euromonitor study from 2015 found that Dutch sugar consumption is the third highest in the world, exceeded only by that of the United States and Germany. Unhealthy eating habits, along with poor physical activity, only deepens the problem. Obesity is not a rare problem among adults, but can be especially difficult for children for various reasons: unhealthy lifestyle from a very early age can in great measure influence the overall health of a person even later in life, it causes insecurities and low self-esteem but, more specifically, many obese children later develop health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. There are several ways we can determine for sure if a child is overweight or not but, before consulting with any trustworthy doctor, you can always measure one’s BMI (Body Mass Index) – nowadays, you can even calculate it online through various websites.
Check Your BMI
For measuring the index of obesity, BMI needs one’s weight, height and gender. The BMI calculator then uses a formula that creates a score which tells you whether someone is underweight, a normal weight, overweight, or obese. The BMI of children is age- and sex-specific, also known as the “BMI-for-age.” It uses growth charts created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical professionals, general doctors and healthcare workers use these charts to track a child’s growth. The charts use a number called a percentile to show how one’s BMI compares with the BMI of other children. The main BMI categories for children and teens are healthy weight (5th to 84th percentile), overweight (85th to 94th percentile) and obese (95th percentile or higher). Of course, these results are not 100% correct, but can serve as a good indicator and, depending on the result, can direct you to the doctor or calm you.
Consult Your Doctor
If you are still concerned about your child’s weight, the best possible solution is to visit your doctor or any trustworthy medical clinic and let them check your child’s overall health. Still, there are certain rules that can apply to anyone and be sure to implement them in your everyday life as much as possible: eat healthy, workout and get enough sleep. For everything else, consult your doctor.