The New Threat to Children's Health
Children's health is one of the important aspects in efforts to maintain quality of life and sustainable development. However, threats to children's health are increasingly complex and diverse. Some of the new threats that are worrisome are climate change, air pollution, obesity, and exposure to unhealthy commercial marketing. In this modern era, children's health challenges are increasing along with changes in the environment and lifestyle. Here are some of the health threats facing children today:
- Climate Change
Climate change has a huge impact on children's health. Rising global temperatures and extreme weather changes affect the availability of clean water, food production, and the spread of infectious diseases. Children are more susceptible to dehydration, malnutrition, as well as infectious diseases caused by deteriorating environmental conditions. In addition, natural disasters due to climate change also often result in psychological trauma to children, which has an impact on their mental and emotional development.
- Air Pollution
Air pollution is a serious threat to children's health. According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), every year millions of children die or experience health problems due to air pollution. Children who are exposed to air pollution in the long term are at risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and decreased lung function. In addition, air pollution also has an impact on children's cognitive development, including their learning ability and memory.
- Obesity and Unhealthy Lifestyle
In many countries, the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased rapidly in recent decades. Poor diet, lack of physical activity, and exposure to advertisements for fast food and sugary drinks contribute to an increase in obesity. Obesity in children not only increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic disorders, but it can also affect their mental health. Social stigma and low self-confidence are often experienced by children with obesity.
- Unhealthy Commercial Marketing Exposure
Children are the main target in the marketing of unhealthy products, such as fast food, high-sugar drinks, and tobacco products. These advertisements often portray an unhealthy lifestyle as normal and enjoyable, which ultimately affects children's consumption preferences and behaviors. Overexposure to this kind of marketing can interfere with the development of a healthy diet and increase the risk of obesity and other related diseases.
Handling Efforts
To protect children from these threats, comprehensive action from various sectors is needed. Governments, health institutions, parents, and communities must work together to create a healthier environment for children. Some of the steps that can be taken include:
- Reduce carbon emissions and raise awareness about climate change to protect children from its adverse impacts.
- Control air pollution through stricter regulations and the use of environmentally friendly technologies.
- Reduce children's exposure to unhealthy commercial marketing by implementing strict advertising regulations, especially for unhealthy food products and harmful products.
- Raising awareness about the importance of balanced nutrition and physical activity to reduce the risk of obesity in children.
Children's health is an investment in the future, and maintaining their health means maintaining the quality of life of future generations.
Reference:
- World Health Organization. (2020). "Air pollution and child health: prescribing clean air.". WHO Report.
- World Health Organization. (2022). "Protecting children from the harmful impact of food marketing.". WHO News.
- UNICEF. (2019). "Children's Health in a Changing Climate." UNICEF Climate Report.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "The Impact of Obesity on Children's Health." Harvard Obesity Report.
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2021). "Environmental Health and Children's Exposure to Air Pollution." AAP Environmental Health.