Endocrinologist: Obesity impacting Estonian kids' health starting in kindergarten
Doctors at Tallinn Children's Hospital found in a study published nearly a decade ago that most obese elementary school children suffer from serious health disorders. According to endocrinologist Ülle Einberg, the situation has not improved much in the meantime and Estonia's food environment for children needs rapid change.
Australian researchers warned years ago about metabolic disorders in children. At the time, the message shook medical experts around the world. "We may now have the first generation that will die earlier than their parents," said Dr. Ülle Einberg, head of the endocrinology service at Tallinn Children's Hospital, recalling the warning.
The situation in Estonia reflects a broader concern. According to the National Institute for Health Development, 62 percent of adults in Estonia are overweight. A third of students from first through seventh grade also struggle with excess weight. Children adopt eating patterns by observing adults in an environment that encourages obesity.
A study conducted by doctors at Tallinn Children's Hospital in 2018 showed that this has serious effects on children's health. In the youngest group — children aged five to nine — doctors found at least one pathological abnormality in 84 percent of participants. "This was a fact that shocked us," Einberg said on the radio program "Vikerhommik." She added that doctors did not expect to see such extensive changes in tests and analyses among children so young.
Health problems begin with metabolic syndrome, in which fat starts to accumulate in the abdominal area. In such cases, doctors must check a child's blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipid levels.
According to Einberg, the problems begin early in life. "In reality, everything starts from birth. Once breastfeeding ends, the question is what the first complementary foods are that the child begins to receive," the doctor emphasized.
Specialists see constant snacking and high-calorie snacks as a major risk. Einberg is troubled by the culture of eating on the street, on buses and in cars, which is not natural for human physiology. Children quickly learn this type of behavior. In addition, young people are strongly influenced by food advertising on the street and on social media, which encourages them to buy cheap, high-calorie products.
As a solution, doctors advocate a return to regular mealtimes. The body needs three main meals, with healthy snacks in between, such as apples or berries. Meals should be eaten at the table, with smartphones and television set aside. At the computer, children often lose track of how much they are eating and unknowingly consume too much. "Estonians also have this tendency that they don't know how to enjoy food and company," Einberg said, pointing to shortcomings in the country's food culture.
Fortunately, health damage that develops at a young age is not always irreversible. Parents should not lose hope if early abnormalities appear, as these do not necessarily follow a child for the rest of their life. Doctors see many positive examples in their work of families that manage to change course. If a six-year-old's lifestyle is changed intensively — with regular exercise and improvements to diet — health indicators also improve.
Healthy habits require daily attention from families and a conscious effort to offer healthy choices. As a hopeful example, Einberg recalled a father she encountered on a bus who asked his kindergarten-aged child whether they would like to eat a carrot when they got home. The child happily agreed. "In truth, a person can eat anything. It is simply a question of quantities," the endocrinologist concluded.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
