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Childhood obesity occurs when a child is well above the normal weight
for his or her age and height. Childhood obesity is burning issue in
urban sector which causes serious health conditions that affects
children and adolescents. Studies show that in Colombo, most children
are overweight.
Childhood obesity can have complications on the physical, social and
emotional well being of the child. When a child is obese it may lend to
serious disease conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol levels in the adulthood. In the society also child may face
problems. It leads to psychological problems as low self-esteem,
depression, behaviourial and learning problems.
Parents think that chubby and fat child is healthy and a thin child
is weak. It is the other way round. Nutritional status of the child is
important whether child is fat or thin.
There are a number of factors that causes childhood obesity.
Initially it may be due to genetic factor. When the mother or father is
obese there are much more chances to the child to become obese.
The family's eating pattern also affects the child. Regularly eating
high caloric foods such as fast foods, baked foods and snacks, can
easily cause the child to gain weight. Having more soft drinks and food
like candy, desserts and frequently eating foods which are high in
sugar, fat and calories contributes much for the weight gain.
Children who don't do enough physical activities are more likely to
gain weight because they don't burn calories through activities.
Nowadays inactive leisure activities such as watching television or
playing video games are increased especially in urban areas. These
factors negatively affect the health of the child.
Parents should consider on the above factors which work in
combination and increase the child's risk of becoming overweight.
Because children mainly depend on parents for their meals, they can
easily alter the meal.
The meal should be balanced in nutrients such as carbohydrates,
proteins, fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals. This can be easily achieved
by having variety of foods as cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, meat,
milk and milk products. But sugar and fat should be taken sparingly. The
changes can be started at buying groceries. It is better to choose
fruits, vegetables and healthy snacks such as sandwiches with egg and
vegetables. Instead of sweetened beverages can have fresh fruits or
fruit juice.
Sweetened beverages provide little nutritional value in exchange for
their high calories. As parents there are several steps that can be
taken are, understand child's food preferences, teach children about
nutrition and encourage them to try a wide variety of foods. It is not
necessary to skip the meals to become thin but limit the frequency of
earning snacks. Parents can monitor what the child taken in for meals by
having family meals. It gives better environment, time to chat and share
the feelings.
Not only the nutrition but also the health practices as exercise
affect the body weight. Regular physical activities burn calories as
well as builds strong bones and muscles. Free play activities such as
playing hide and seek, tag or jump rope, cycling, swimming which are
preferred by children can be great for burning calories and improving
fitness. If the child likes some other activities try to make it more
active and fun.
An easy way to increase the child's activity level is to limit the
number of hours he or she is allowed to watch television and play video
and computer games each day. Eating in front of the TV may make it
difficult to pay attention to feelings of fullness and may lead to over
eating. The parents should be active to make their child active.
Peaceful mentality of child is also important to be healthy.
Childhood obesity directly threatens the health of person leading him
not to be as productive as others in the society. In the future it
affects the economy of the person as well as the country.
"Active, healthy children are, more likely to become fit adults".
G Tharshini
Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
Makandura (UWP)
Cynosure the dark Lion from Sri Lanka
Ready to capture the white man
Who is at the crease
Having a safety wooden bar in his hand
Tossed the ball and took the run
Uprooted the middle stump in the first spel
White man was caught
Back to the pavilion for nought
All the white men who faced
Demolished by the spinning ball
How wonderful was his bowling
Murali was a National Wealth.
- Wijeratne Dahigamuwa
After waiting patiently till the elections were over with the people,
both young and old giving an incredible mandate to the Rajapaksa
Government, we place before you with a sense of hope that at least now,
you would give priority to a class of people who have worked hard to
build a nation of citizens with honesty and integrity, sense of
gratitude and hard work which we sadly miss in present society.
We firmly believed that imparting book knowledge, covering syllabuses
within the four walls of the classroom was not the main criteria of a
teacher.
Classes in poetry, drama and practical language lessons were
conducted in the open air giving the children opportunities to ponder
the mysteries of birds, bees, sun and flowers while enjoying the fresh
and natural breezes of the environment, thus making education a pleasure
than a drudgery and more meaningful to the child.
To be honourable at all times, to be gentle with the gentle, to be
patient with the tough and to appreciate the good of others were
strongly instilled in them.
Our love to the children was boundless and immeasurable and they grew
up with these valuable ideals to make this nation a country worth living
and we all lived in peace and not in pieces. As principals and teachers
we worked tirelessly to produce people of good calibre.
As pensioners we have suffered in silence for many years and hope
that tomorrow will be better than today. We continue to live in
expectation!
May this be a wake-up call to resolve our grievances and allow us to
spend the evening of our lives in greater comfort and happiness.
SWARNAMALI RODRIGO - Panadura
The FAC of 20 percent imposed on all units consumed by electricity
consumers except for domestic and religious premises and charitable
institutions who consumed less than 90 units per month was increased to
30 percent with the tariff revision which came into effect on March 15,
2008 due to the rise in fuel prices.
This rate became applicable even under the revised tariff and charges
effective from November 1, 2008 except for the categories given below.
(1) Domestic consumers who consume 90 units or less per 30 day billing
period.
(2) All religious premises and charitable institutions.
With the reduced fuel prices announced in November, 2008 in the
Budget proposals for 2009 the FAC was reduced to 15 percent for a period
of one year for tourist hotels and industries but subsequently waived
off with effect from January 1, 2009. The fuel prices were further
reduced later.
As Power and Energy Ministry is to submit a proposal to the Public
Utility Commission to look into the possibility of reducing electricity
prices to benefit consumers, as one such aspect wish to request the
Minister/Ministry and the PUC to consider to waive the FAC in respect of
domestic consumers as well who are liable for FAC and if not to bring
down the rate to 15 percent or at least revert to the earlier rate of 20
percent as it will have a far reaching impact on their Cost of Living.
H W Gunesekera - Panadura
In the context of the 'St Peter's - Isipathana no decision' one
wonders whether schools are playing Rugger because of the game or
because of other factors.
Recently I was told that a certain school-playing Rugger has banned
the boys from eating any food outside except what is given by the
school. This is like training horses for the Epsom Derby.
A principal of a school a few years ago made it very clear that the
boys are sent to school to study. Perhaps Rugger is only a part of
school life.
In the 1960s I remember walking to Longden Place to see the Colombo
leg of the Bradby. Today it is not the school that matters but the past
students and the sponsors.
Now I can understand the loss of values in our society. We need to
get back to the society that we were with good values.
SYDNEY KNIGHT - Colombo 3
Whole of last month ward number 33 of the Kalubowila Hospital became
my second home as someone who is close to me was warded there for
residential treatment.
Right from the beginning we noticed a very professional approach
coupled with a homely atmosphere to make all the patients comfortable
and relaxed to start the healing process from their respective mental
and physiological ailments.
It is noteworthy to observe the ways in which the staff speaks to the
patients and their kith and kin winning their confidence that they are
capable of facilitating the healing process of their friends and
relations.
This staff is well trained to use the body language, expressions etc.
to encourage the patients and the concerned people to go through the
time of anxiety that they are faced with.
With my personal experience with the hospitals of this nature in the
county of Kent in the UK, I could notice how much planning has gone into
create this hospital very much parallel to the physiology of the above
mentioned hospitals in the UK. Even the very building is very much
similar to one of the hospitals in Kent.
I strongly believe that this sort of efforts should be appreciated
and encouraged to get the best out of this team and to influence other
medical institutions to follow the good example sustained by these
professionals.
Rev Keerthisiri Fernando
Diocese of Colombo
I was delighted to read the above article in the Daily News of July
26. It is a great move as roads in the indicated areas are in a very bad
state of disrepair. However I would like to ask the Highways and
Transportation Minister to formulate a Sri Lankan standard for road
construction (if there isn't one already) and make sure all contractors
and sub contractors and public works authorities stick by the standards.
In the past we have seen many sub contractors do quick shoddy work to
earn a fast buck and the roads get washed away in the first monsoonal
rain.
This money will be a waste if the same thing happens again. It's high
time we think of lasting good quality work that will save money in the
long run and will make our roads safer.
Roshan Dodanwela - Kandy
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