According to Hospital Nacional de Niños (HNN) statistics, 1 out of 5 children in Costa Rica is obese. As a public health problem, professionals from Orientation College, who are always related to children and teenagers in schools, have decided to take actions.
As consequence, they highlight the importance for school and families to work together in order to prevent and fight overweight and obesity.
According to a 2014 World Health Organization’s report, childhood obesity reached “alarming” levels worldwide and became an “explosive nightmare” in developing countries.
The research stated that if this problem is not addressed, obesity could have an impact on many of the health benefits that have contributed to increase longevity.
In addition, obesity is highly related to diabetes. Between 2007 and 2015, 516 cases of children suffering from diabetes were diagnosed by the HNN.
Endocrinologists have trained professionals to detect the following signs among their students: dry mouth, thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, weight loss, sweating, numbness, pain or leg cramps, and dark coloration on the neck or knuckles.
Orientation College stressed the importance of prevention, and in this regard, they recommended parents to take advantage of this vacation to promote activities such as exercising and healthy eating habits.