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The Malaysian Ministry of Health has stated that more than 30 percent of
adolescents today are suffering from obesity or overweight. This should concern
the general public, especially parents, as this group is at risk of developing
health problems and other chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood
pressure, and heart attacks. Therefore, each of us needs to be aware and
vigilant so as not to be included in the group of people with obesity problems.
One of the main initiatives in preventing obesity among adolescents is to ensure
that they adopt a balanced diet. Adolescents need guidance from their parents or
teachers on proper nutrition and not be easily influenced by advertisements
promoted in the media. A balanced diet can be referred to the food pyramid,
where the amount of nutrients contained in a dish is essential in determining
whether it is adequate or excessive. In short, the intake of high-fat and
non-nutritious foods such as fast food and carbonated drinks should be avoided.
Adolescents should also engage in physical activities more often. The younger
generation today prefers to spend their free time surfing the Internet and
watching entertainment on electronic media. This situation should be curbed as
we actually have complete infrastructure in playgrounds or recreational parks to
enable the public to exercise. Adolescents should take advantage of this
opportunity by spending their free time engaging in recreational activities such
as playing badminton or futsal in the playground provided. Participation in
exercise and sports activities provides various other benefits that are good for
both physical and mental health as well as the individual's spiritual health.
At the same time, the problem of childhood obesity and among adolescents can
be overcome by limiting their daily gadget usage. This action is the role of
parents at home in monitoring children's behavior towards the use of gadgets
such as phones and computers. If their gadget usage time is too long, that is,
more than three to five hours a day, it will not only threaten their health but
also affect their eyesight. There are some young people who are too obsessed
with video games or gadget usage to the point where they are inactive and
physically weak. Especially those who like to eat snacks, where the sugar and
fat content is a major factor in obesity and tooth decay. |
