In the middle of last year, the Telephone Survey of Risk Factors for Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases in Times of Pandemic (Covitel) released the alarming data that obesity among people aged 18 to 24 rose from 9% to 17.1% in just one year, and that, in addition, 40.3% of young people are overweight.
“This is a group of people who drink more and do not do physical activity, that is, they have a lifestyle that supports these frightening data”, reflects Tassiane Alvarenga, endocrinologist at the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology (SBEM). The survey interviewed nine thousand Brazilians from the five states, between January and April 2023.
In view of this result, the endocrinologist understands that there are actions that parents, caregivers and the families of these young people, in general, can adopt to begin a process of reversing the current situation:
Involving everyone in the home feeding process
For Tassiane, parents and caregivers play a crucial role in shaping children’s eating habits, as they can positively influence them through example. “They can also influence by offering healthy foods, establishing regular eating routines and involving children, adolescents and young people in the process of purchasing and preparing food”, highlights the expert, remembering that the attitudes of older people tend to be imitated by younger people.
“Nutritional education and the establishment of clear limits regarding the consumption of ultra-processed foods are also fundamental”, recalls the doctor.
Speaking of ultra-processed…
Covitel 2023 showed that the age group between 18 and 24 years old is the one that consumes the least fruits and vegetables, “real foods”, while it is the one that consumes the most soft drinks or artificial juices, examples of processed and ultra-processed foods. “They inflame the hypothalamus, our appetite-regulating center, and make us crave this type of food more and more”, explains Tassiane. Furthermore, 32.6% of young people interviewed in the survey reported a recent episode of alcohol abuse, which, in addition to the harm caused by alcohol itself, also leads to weight gain, as alcoholic beverages are quite high in calories.
Following the reasoning that it is better to peel than to unpack, the endocrinologist suggests that householders encourage the intake of what is called real food, that is, fresh or minimally processed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains whole grains and lean proteins. “Preparing homemade meals, using fresh ingredients and avoiding food additives, is an effective strategy. Furthermore, offering water, milk and natural juices can replace sugary drinks and soft drinks”, suggests the expert, continuing: “For example , instead of a ready-made cake from the supermarket, how about preparing a cake at home, like our grandparents did?”
She recalls that, in recent years, there has been a 40% reduction in home-cooked meals and a 22% increase in eating out, which makes it easier to consume processed foods.
Sedentary lifestyle
Tassiane highlights another piece of data from the study, which shows that only 36.9% of young people surveyed practice the 150 minutes per week recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO); “Physical inactivity causes more than five million deaths a year worldwide,” she says.
Not surprisingly, these people are also leaders in screen time: 76.1% use devices such as cell phones, tablets or television three hours or more a day for leisure.
An endocrinologist’s suggestion to curb this tendency is to encourage regular physical activities in a fun and enjoyable way. “For younger children, parents can promote outdoor play, bike rides, family walks and team sports. And limiting screen time is also important”, she says. She also points to sports initiation and participation in extracurricular activities as instruments that can help spark their interest in an active lifestyle.
Mental health also benefits from family support
As actions like these become everyday in homes, several other aspects that affect obesity are automatically alleviated, such as insufficient sleep and impaired mental health. Covitel showed that half of young people do not sleep the number of hours recommended for their age. “We know that, as a result, the next day there is an increase in ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and a decrease in leptin, the satiety hormone”, explains Tassiane.
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Once screen time has been adjusted, added to a more natural diet and a real expenditure of energy, with sports and games, sleep comes and allows the body to carry out the necessary restoration during sleep. “In this way, we avoid the consequences of unhealthy sleep, such as a greater risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, infertility, obesity and even dementia”, he reveals.
Therefore, as a result, mental health is also modified in this reorganization of everyday life. The endocrinologist recalls that the research cites that 31.6% of young people have already received a medical diagnosis of anxiety and 14.1% of depression, in a period when the end of the pandemic was approaching.
“Now, this post-pandemic moment can be seen as a window of opportunity for improvements in the behavior and development of children, adolescents and young people. With the return to school and social interactions, a recovery of the psychosocial and behavioral aspects that were affected during the pandemic”, observes Tassiane. She therefore considers it important to monitor and support people in this transition, as the effects of prolonged isolation may persist and require specific interventions. “Anxiety and depression can persist for years, and food is often an escape, an outlet to fill these voids,” she warns.
