Features
Childhood obesity – a global tsunami or time bomb
The world has never been this heavy and from all indications we will grow heavier. Obesity cuts across all continents and all age groups. Surely childhood obesity cannot offer us any positive sides.
In a society where being overweight or obese is considered a mark of affluence and parents pride themselves in having babies who look like teddy-bears, it is not surprising that we are still silent at a time when the western world is paying the price for childhood obesity.
We constantly remind our children to wear seatbelts and also wash their hands with soap and water before eating but we hardly advise our little jewels that eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise is the trump card to good health.
It is important to drum it home that obesity is a health risk that they need to avoid to ensure that they grow into healthy adults. Good health definitely makes life more enjoyable.
Remember an obese child is often prone to diseases that only a few years ago were the preserve of the elderly. Imagine developing high blood pressure, type II diabetes and high cholesterol before your 20th birthday.
This increases your risk of developing complications such as heart attacks, strokes, amputations and a whole lot in your forties when you are at the peak of your career. What a loss! There is still hope though. We can stop this canker if we start now.
What is the Cause of this trend?
This is partly due to the dramatic shift in children’s lifestyle. Children have become more sedentary, spending hours on end watching television, playing video games and surfing the internet. Contrast that with a decade or two ago when playing gutter-to-gutter with socks-ball was worth missing a meal or two.
The food they eat has not improved either and unhealthy snacks are readily available at home and in school. Few families are sitting together to enjoy a nutritious dinner. Children thrive on fast foods which is high in calories, sugar and bad fats and most of them do not have a regular eating schedule.
All these are a sure way to arrive in the land of obesity. It is unfortunate that many people consider these foods the in-thing and will always choose fried rice with questionable chicken over apem (plantain) and abom with fish.
Prevention is the best cure
As parents we are the best role models for our children so let us set the right examples. The best way to avoid a weight problem with your children is to start early with a healthy lifestyle.
Encourage good eating habits and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle and adopt these habits yourself.
Tips to prevent childhood obesity
- Work together as a family
- Regular family meals improve children’s nutrition and encourages healthy eating habits and leads to a reduction in the risk of childhood obesity. I am assuming that as parents we will prepare healthy meals.
- Eating breakfast is a MUST
- Do not single out any family member, adopt a healthy lifestyle for all to follow
- Respect your child’s appetite; children do not have to eat everything on their plate.
- Limit high calorie foods such as sweet tasting biscuits and discourage snacks except when they are fruits.
- Avoid soft drinks such as coke, fanta etc
- Limit fast foods, pre-prepared foods and foods with added sugar.
- Encourage high intake of fibre, fruits and vegetables.
- Replace whole milk with low fat versions from age two.
- Identify risks and try to set realistic goals
- If children spend long hours watching television or playing on the computer, set a stricter limit and monitor it. Remove televisions from bedrooms and encourage children to spend time outdoors.
- Schools should encourage physical education instead of spending hours feeding information to children. Remember a sound mind in a sound body. As parents and guardians it is our duty to champion this during PTA meetings.
- Create a family exercise plan
- Exercise together as a family, it could even be dancing to music in the living room or taking a walk together outdoors.
- Reward good behaviour
- Give rewards for reaching goals but do not use food as a reward or bribe
- Seek help if needed
- Depending on the cause of the weight problem, some children may need behavioural therapy or other professional help to achieve a healthy weight. Seek help when you are not making any positive headway.
An obese child is no laughing matter, neither is it a reflection of the affluence of his or her parents. It is a time bomb waiting to explode. A real health hazard covered with fat. Take aggressive steps now to avoid it or reverse it.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – 1. “Theme for World Heart Day 2024 – Motivate Individuals to Look After Their HEART HEALTH.”
References
- If I had only a minute with the president – Dr Kojo Cobba Essel
- Health Tips from giantfoodstores.com
- Dr David Ludwig- Child Obesity Expert
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
