Obesity has emerged as a major risk factor for severe COVID-19 cases. Obesity also has other health implications, and there is hope for obese patients with weight loss surgery options.
COVID-19 has disrupted children's lives in many ways with no schools and no means for recreation outdoors. The added stress of uncertainty has led to children engaging in unhealthy eating habits with no physical activity.
Children with higher BMI are silently at risk of developing cardiometabolic risk by 11 to 12 years. Therefore, there is an urgent need for effective action plan to reduce overweight and obesity in early childhood.
Eating healthy as a child helps reduce the risk of developing obesity and heart disease later in life. Parents and caregivers can be a powerful force in helping children develop healthy eating habits.