While an increasing number of people across the country, as also the world, are grappling with obesity, the waistline of children, too, deserves attention. According to a study by a team under Ma Jun, former director of the Institute of Health for Youth, Peking University, from 1985 to 2019 the obesity rate of Chinese children and youth went up by 18.1 times and that of just children by 75.6 times.

By 2030, the number of overweight and obese children and youth in China is expected to reach 100 million. The challenge such obesity poses to youngsters' health, especially that of children, is high and still rising, as obesity increases the risk of many diseases. There have already been cases of 3-year-olds contracting diabetes, 10-year-olds getting fatty liver disease and girls attaining puberty at age 6.

There might be other causes, but obesity is recognized as a primary cause of most of these anomalies. It can be a nightmare for children if they have to take regular insulin shots or get treatment for fatty liver disease at such a young age.

Helping such children means helping society and for that families, schools and society have to play a role. While most people are waking up to the reality that being fat is definitely not good for health, not all of them know which diets or what kind of exercise can help one to remain slim and healthy.

Schools must ensure that children get enough time for outdoor exercises, which, apart from keeping them slim, also helps vision by reducing chances of them getting myopia. As for society, greater awareness should be created about what constitutes an ideal waistline and weight according to age.