By Mahi Jain
The contentious rise in pediatric lifestyle ailments such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and mental health disorders across children in India has health professionals worried. Discussing the health forum in the city, doctors in Nagpur articulated the need for these conditions to be addressed before they give rise to serious complications, and the need for timely action cannot be overstated.
As lifestyle changes continue to cut across the globe, there is an even greater shift that is extremely detrimental to the well-being of children. The increase in NCDs is considerably alarming. Physical inactivity, unhealthy eating, screen addiction, and academic pressure are no longer the new ‘norms’. These disorders are the proverbial tip of the iceberg that previews the palpable healthcare crisis lurking in the country.
This led Medical institutions and health organizations to take action. AIIMS Nagpur, in conjunction with UNICEF’s department in Maharashtra, as well as with the Health department at the state level, is advocating for a sustainable structured response. Earlier detected that the 5E approach has been identified, Enhanced capacity building, establishing pediatric clinics, encouraging health-promoting behaviors, and ensuring equity in health for vulnerable rural and marginalized populations.
Experts need to incorporate primary screening processes during pediatric consultations, with sufficient attention to comprehensive health evaluation and monitoring.
On the level of policy, interventions like the regulation of junk food advertisements for children, identifying safe recreational spaces, and funding preventive care were strongly advocated. “Children are the backbone of our future; if we do not take care of these risk factors now, we will shape a generation that is burdened with chronic disease,” said a senior pediatrician at AIIMS Nagpur.
Doctors are firm in their belief that multi-stakeholder participation—inclusive of governmental elements, practitioners, academic institutions, non-governmental organisations, and parents—is important. If we can act swiftly to educate society, a cross-sector effort can surely see the trend of pediatric non-communicable diseases affected positively, thus ensuring healthier futures for our youngest citizens.