TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – Nearly 32% of children ages 6 to 12 are considered obese in Texas, according to Kim Morris, chief impact officer at the East Texas Food Bank.
September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and local experts say the problem continues to rise both nationally and in East Texas.
Doctor sees younger patients with adult health issues
Dr. Shiva Reddy, a pediatrician at UT Health Fifth Street, said he often sees patients of all ages with obesity. He said he is seeing Type 2 diabetes, heart issues and high cholesterol in patients younger than usual.
Reddy said the cause of the rising problem is the consumption of calorie-dense foods.
“The way I describe it is that if you have a processed pizza or some kind of like pizza rolls, things like that, your body’s able to just eat a lot more at once and just ingest more calories while still feeling less full, right?” Reddy said. “So if I eat 500 calories worth of pizza rolls versus 500 calories of more nutrient-dense food, I’m going to be a lot more full with that other food rather than the pizza rolls, for example, right?”
Reddy said 70% of most people’s diet comes from processed foods, with people and parents opting for convenience over nutritional value.
Food insecurity linked to obesity in children
Morris said a large portion of obese East Texas children are food insecure and come from impoverished families. She said those parents buying food on a budget often turn to fast food and cheaper processed foods.
“And what that results in is kids doing just loading, loading, loading, but they’re not actually getting the nutrients they need,” Morris said.
Morris said a common misconception is that food insecure children who appear overweight must have plenty of access to food, but that’s not the case.
“They don’t necessarily always have a full plate to eat,” Morris said. “So when they do, they tend to binge that food, which your body doesn’t process really, really well. And then they don’t eat for a long period of time. And then when they eat again, it’s the worry of when their next meal is going to come. So they consume as much as they can, which is not really good for the body. And you’ll see obesity come from that.”
Food bank programs, balanced meals
The East Texas Food Bank feeds 8,000 kids a year through after-school and backpack programs, offering meals that include beef snacks, fresh produce and fruits.
Reddy recommends children eat balanced meals focusing on protein, fats and fiber, but said there’s still room for a treat.
“So can we in the morning go for some hard-boiled eggs and some fruit with our Pop-Tart?” Reddy said. “Can we during dinnertime you know, enjoy a nice meal with some like, you know, beans, veggies, you know, some kind of like lean meat and then we have some pizza rolls on the side and enjoy a sweet treat after as kind of a component of our meal, right.”
Reddy also recommends increasing exercise. He said children are more inclined to move their bodies when fun is included, such as swimming with friends.
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