Childhood obesity higher in private schools — report

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Obesity among children is higher among those in private schools compared to those in public schools, a report has revealed.

The report dubbed “The under-estimated problem of obesity among children in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): A case of Uganda and South Africa” found that the prevalence of obesity is higher among those in private schools at 16.6% compared to those in public schools 11.5%. 

This implies that sixteen out of 100 children are obese while eleven out of 100 children are overweight.

A research paper published in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences in September 2018 indicates that among school children surveyed in Uganda, about 2.3% (close to one-third) were obese and 21.7% (a little more than one-fifth) were overweight.

This means that thirty-two out of 100 children are obese while twenty-one out of 100 are overweight.

Childhood obesity is a condition in which a child is significantly overweight for his or her age and height. A child who is obese has shortness of breath and indulges in binge eating.

Meanwhile overweight is the weight above what is considered healthy, often measured using body mass index (BMI).

BMI is a number based on one’s weight in kilograms, divided by one’s height in meters squared (kgs/m2).

“Healthy BMI is 18.5 to 25. One with a BMI of between 25 and 30 is considered overweight and BMI over 30 is an indicator that your child is obese.

Dr. Sabrina Kitaka, a renowned paediatrician at Mulago National Referral Hospital says obesity in children leads to ill health and may cause avoidable deaths. 

Dr. Kitaka further notes that obesity in children is hard to reverse once it develops.

Obesity burden

March 4 is internationally recognized as an annual platform to raise awareness and advocate for practical solutions in addressing the global obesity crisis.

Today there are 1 billion people are living with obesity globally.

The same report

Preliminary results of the STEPS Survey of 2023 report about the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Uganda reveal that the proportion of Ugandans who are overweight has increased from 9.2% to about 33% in the same period.

This means that 33 people out of 100 are beyond the desired weight in the sampled age category of 18-69.

What went wrong

Ruth Mugambe, a nutritionist based in Kampala blames childhood obesity on parents and caregivers feeding children on fast foods, snacks and sugary processed drinks, chips, chicken, baked foods and candy.

“The children are eating more than their bodies require. Yet, they sit throughout the day with very minimal physical exercise, consequently, not burning the energy which results in weight gain,” Dr. Mugambe notes

Dr. John Omagino who is the executive director at Uganda Heart Institute blames it on physical inactivity.

“We are also having a generation where children are fed so much but they do not exercise,” he notes. 

This is compounded by the fact that many schools are sitting on small plots while others are housed in flats with hardly any space for the children to play or exercise, thus resulting in excessive weight gain, he notes.

Why care

Compared to children with healthy weight, children with obesity are at a higher risk for asthma, bone and joint problems, type 2 diabetes, and risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure.

Obesity affecting school performance

Many times overweight children have low self-esteem because they feel different from other children. Aside, their peers tease and call them names, hence affecting their ability to learn, says the acting deputy head teacher of Mable Secondary School, Victoria Bayaga.

Bagaya’s thoughts are corroborated by a study dubbed: “Childhood obesity: causes and consequences”.

Prevention tips

-Adopting healthy eating patterns as a family helps children reach and maintain a healthy weight as they age.

-Give children a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean protein foods, and low-fat and fat-free dairy products to enable children to achieve optimal health.

-Replace sugary drinks with water, fresh juice, or plain low-fat milk.

-Support the children to remain active by engaging in play activities. Physically active children have stronger muscles and bones, better cardiovascular fitness, and lower body fat than those who are inactive.

-Children aged 3–5 years should be physically active throughout the day. While children aged 6–17 years need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

-Adequate sleep helps prevent type 2 diabetes, obesity, injuries, and problems with attention and behaviour. Children who don't get enough sleep are at risk for unhealthy weight gain.

-Children in the age bracket of 3 to 5 years should be able to sleep for between 10 to 13 hours. Those aged between 6 to 12 years should get adequate sleep of between 9 to 12 hours.

-Too much screen time can lead to poor sleep, weight gain, lower grades in school, and poor mental health. Reducing screen time can free up time for family activities and can remove cues to eat unhealthy food.

-Turning off screens an hour before bed and removing screens from children's bedrooms can help reduce screen time and improve sleep.