Health Office Intensifies Education On Custody Patterns And Children's Eating Patterns To Prevent Obesity

A PAUD student eats free nutritious food as one of the government's concerns in creating a healthy generation. (ANTARA/Akhmad Nazaruddin Lathif)

JAKARTA - Preventing obesity in children depends not only on the type of food consumed, but also on parenting applied by parents.

Healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle must be instilled from an early age so that children grow with ideal weight and avoid the risk of chronic diseases in the future. A balanced diet combined with supportive parenting will form a strong foundation for children's health.

The Health Office of Kudus Regency, Central Java, pays serious attention to the increase in cases of obesity in children which continues to increase. Based on the latest data, the number of children who are obese in Kudus reached 683 cases or 7.98 percent, a significant increase compared to the previous year which was at 5.2 percent.

Head of the Kudus District Health Office, Andini Aridewi, said this increase was closely related to nutritional problems and the lack of public understanding of the importance of a healthy diet.

"Obesity in children can trigger various non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic disorders in the future," he said, as quoted by ANTARA.

To reduce the obesity rate, the Health Office is intensifying education to the public regarding proper diet and parenting. This program involves health centers and educational institutions to disseminate information about the importance of consuming nutritious foods, such as protein, vegetables, fruit, milk, and sufficient amount of water.

One of the concrete steps taken is the implementation of a nutritious action movement in schools. Through this program, students are invited to understand the importance of healthy food intake and being trained to familiarize themselves with an active lifestyle.

"In addition to maintaining a diet, children are also encouraged to routinely carry out physical activities, limit the use of gadgets, and ensure adequate sleep," added Andini.

He hopes that the education carried out will not only target children, but also parents and educators so that they can jointly create an environment that supports a healthy lifestyle.

With a good understanding of the importance of a balanced diet and proper parenting, it is hoped that children's growth and development will run optimally and avoid the risk of obesity and related diseases in the future.