Modern Youth Habits and Health Problems
Prof. Dr S Bakhtiar Choudhary; Hyderabad Spine Clinics,
E-mail: sbakhtiar@hotmail.com, www.bakhtiarchoudhary.com
1. Introduction:
Today’s boy & girl are tomorrow’s man and woman. Whatever influence that teenagers get, that’s going to last for rest of life. It’s true what Ravindranath Tagore said “Age is 14 is worst in the house & outside; because he or she doesn’t fit into either groups. Adolescence and peer pressure makes them vulnerable to many psychological changes & social responsibilities develop during this period. Parental behavior and environment in the house makes a final impact on teenage habits including exercise, diet, spiritual habits.
Good religious practices, closely knit families, joint families and presence of siblings known to have positive influence on these young men & women in the make.
2. Habits develop early
Most adolescents develop dependencies & other habits between 13-18 years. Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs, Telling lies with opposite sex and violence. Peer influence has greater role both in rural & urban settings. Parental role as “Role models” and their time allocation is very crucial for strong foundation.
At least 60% of boys today smoke at least occasionally and mostly give up after sometimes, leaving about 2% continue as smokers. In some of the studies, it was shown that girls have lesser habits but the effects of additions are stronger than boys. You will be surprised to know, that girls are more regular visits to pubs & parties than boys, but in the age group of 20+ (Lesser in < 20yrs). Influence of drugs, early sex, diminishing respect towards teachers, parents and elders are the serious issues of complex nature.
3. Obesity in youth
In a country like ours one never imagined that out of all the health disorders, Obesity would figure as a major one. Today thanks to changed lifestyles, unhealthy food habits, lack of exercise and stress, Obesity is becoming common and sadly among all age groups. While the percentage among adults is 18% (according to WHO); it’s a shocking that 30% among children and teens including both rural and urban India. Most affluent schools in cities find 50% of their students are obese and sadly this trend is not being taken seriously.
Last one decade, there has been a phenomenal increase in obesity among teenagers in Hyderabad. We often see teenagers holding a cell phone and talking for long time, spending time on computers or in gaming centres; sometimes spending time in study hours leaving no time for activity.
The study conducted by Dr Bakhtiar Choudhary at Hyderabad Spine Clinics revealed a detrimental change in teenage fraternity. The observations noted from 1999-2009 showed abnormal increase in both peripheral and visceral obesity. The study included changes in body weight, body fat percent, waist to hip ratio, physical exercises and activity habit, flexibility and important blood parameters like fasting blood sugar and HDL in 12-22years age subjects.
In 1999 observations(table-1)revealed 13.5% were obese with large numbers overweight. In 2009 number of subjects with obesity has gone up to 30% there were no significant gender differences. Physical activity participation has decreased 38% to 8% there were no significant differences flexibility changes in the last decade. Teenagers have exhibited reduction in HDL levels by 6% decrease when compare to values of decade ago. Incidental findings also suggest 11% increase in posture related symptoms among (16-22) years of age and 7% increase in dental caries.
(Table-1)
From Year 1999---2009 (1600 students)
Subjects: 1600
Age group: 16-22y From similar background
Obesity Grade-I
>30% body fat): Increased by 12.5%
Exercise Participation: decreased by 30%
Poor HDL
(good Cholesterol <30mg/Dl): increased by 6%
Posture related problems:increased by 11%
Dental Caries:increased by 7%
Poor Flexibility:increased by 2%
4. Theory of Broiler chicken
When a broiler chicken has to be fattened the first step is to restrict its movement by minimizing the space around it (2x2 feet), exactly the similar result is seen among youth, whose area of activity unfortunately has drastically reduced therefore being the prime culprit in the tendency to accumulate fat.
5. Effects of Inactivity are more serious in youth.
Living areas have shrunk, most schools, corporate colleges, parents left no scope for activities. Many education institutions neither have no play grounds nor encourage sports and games and exercise culture. Work stations are reduced to tiny cubicles, most work is done before a computer monitor and majority of both adult and children’s free time is spent before the television.
There is a gradual reduction in exercise participation among youth due to burden of education, parental pressure, peer pressure and corporate education culture youth find no time for regular and organize exercise programmes resulting in poor fitness, poor flexibility and obesity. In one decade 30% reduction in exercise participation among teenagers and youth is noticed. 24% youth lack optimum flexibility and cardio respiratory fitness (stamina). Poor flexibility and poor fitness and lack of exercise habit increase their risk for early disease.
• Loss of working muscle to the extent of 8 grams/day; sedentary job more than 3 months without exercise has deleterious effects on all muscles of the body including heart muscle. It is estimated that 8gm of muscle protein is lost every day we see people without any arm and chest muscles, drooping shoulders, lanky backs, poor neck and back muscles, but more accumulation of fat. It takes longer time and effort to build muscles
• Loss of Calcium from bones: It is estimated that this little period of inactivity leads to loss of 1.54 grams calcium from the bones every week and any amount of calcium tablets will not get back your bone minerals. Women can only pickup and store bone calcium up to 30 years and how long this calcium support depends up on how much calcium she stored. Only way to improve your bone calcium is to exercise and have correct diet throughout life.
• Stiff and atrophied muscles and joints: Muscles and the joint spaces are very sensitive to exercise. Inactivity more than 4 weeks, slowly reduces the muscle strength, muscle size, mobility in almost all joints;
• 10-15 % decrease in plasma volume: Blood has two components; first one consists of many types of blood cells and second is plasma (liquid), which contains proteins, protective elements of the body. It was noticed that inactivity of 3 months decreases the plasma volume by up to 15%; that amounts to losing many plasma proteins and protective immunoglobulin. This is of serious concern to everybody.
• Decrease in Cardio-vascular capacity leading to rapid fall in aerobic power. Every human loses aerobic capacity (endurance) with age that is the capacity to work for longer duration without getting fatigued. This is also known as aerobic capacity / oxygen carrying capacity / stamina. There is a drastic reduction of stamina among youth especially in girls.
• Immunity: Immunity is very important to protect from diseases; sedentary life rapidly drops number of lymphocytes and the immunoglobulin and many more chemical factors responsible for immunity. This is one of the reasons why India is facing today high levels of Diabetes, Heart diseases and Cancer.
• Effects on Chemistry of human Body: Along with increasing body fat leading to obesity, the whole chemistry of body changes. The total cholesterol, LDL (Low density lipoproteins-bad cholesterol), Triglycerides, increase enormously and HDL (high density lipoproteins-good cholesterol) decreases directly increasing risk for many diseases. You must know that HDL-cholesterol can only be improved by Exercise only.
6. Heart Disease develops at the age of 12 years
Post mortem of few youngsters who died in road accidents revealed partially blocked coronary arteries (vessels which supply nutrients and oxygen to heart muscles) indicate that heart disease develops as early as 12 years of age. Unhealthy habits, sedentary activities, early smoking, junk foods, increasing body fat and sometime genetic influence may be responsible for such early disease. So it’s important to inculcate healthy habits much early in life so that serious diseases and disabilities can be prevented in later age.
7. Junk Food Invasion
Added to this is the fad of fiber-less junk foods, aerated drinks, simple sugars and refined cereals. Let’s try to examine the content of most popular junk foods;
a. Less Fibre: Most soluble and insoluble fibres which are responsible for reducing high cholesterol, cancers and constipation are missing in the junk food.
b. Trans fatty Acids: These are the hydrogenated oils used for junk food cooking; advantage of these TFA’s is that, food can be stored for longer time. But unfortunately, TFA’s are known to cause cancers and many serious medical problems early in life.
c. Early Cholesterol accumulation: This is due to excess saturated fats used in improving taste
d. Preservatives: Like E122, sodium Benzoate and other lethal preservatives also present in soft drinks can cause long time effects on body.
e. Excess salt: most bakery products contain salt more than recommended allowances and increase the risk for early hypertension
f. Theory of conspiracy of addiction: there are studies depicted that many junk foods may contain some chemical agents which cause addiction to children.
g. Excess Sugar: Most soft drinks and colas supposedly provided free with food contain more amounts of simple sugars which are likely increase body fat and increase the risk for diabetes.
8. Teenage dental problems
There has been a sudden raise in tooth and gum disease among youth. This has increased by 7% in last decade. There are many causes such as soft food with less chewing, aerated drinks, incorrect oral hygiene and too many simple sugars responsible for early tooth decay and gum disease. This involves not only lot of money but root of many infections.
9. Gender Difference; practices
The crucial growth period is up to the age of 18. While some boys are preoccupied with developing muscles in the gym and likely to follow incorrect diets, protein supplements, fat burners and excess non-vegetarian foods.
While girls on the other hand are concentrating on limiting calorie intake by skipping meals or snacking on ready to eat foods which are devoid of all nutrients. My visit to women’s colleges revealed many young women either thin or fat and very few in good shapes. Statistics show food irregularities are more often seen in young girls than boys.
10. Teenage problems related to late night computer use and computer gaming centers?
Imagine a teenage boy quietly sitting on a system till late night; will be forced to see unworthy sites and corrupt his brains. Studies have shown that teenagers, who watch TV and surf the internet late nights, tend to develop interest in sex and related materials more than the other children. This is to disturbance in hormones like melatonin, encephalin, endorphins, cortisol and testosterone.
Computer / Video gaming Addiction: Playing computer games for many hours is now considered as new addiction and is very common in single-child families, also seen in the parents who have no time to spend with children and also due to peer group effect. Children who are intelligent, with great physical energy and who are emotionally weak often get in to this kind of addiction.
Gaming centres have good facilities such as big monitor, good audio visual effects and latest games mostly anti-terrorist activity, military missions, and gladiator type of games which often attract boys. While playing computer based games, boys often shout, scream and derive emotional fulfillment and sense of achievement. The testosterone, the male hormone is in the peak between 14-18 years of age in boys and this is responsible for aggression, arousal and addiction. If anybody antagonizes or prevents them children tend to become aggressive, disobedient and a likely to neglect studies and other responsibilities.
Now the question is how to handle them?
• Develop a discipline in your family like a fixed supper time with all family members as a compulsion.
• Any outdoor entertainment should be shared by all family members like cinema, hotel or any other resorts.
• If possible, invite his friends to these outings.
• Parents have to be role models in building a positive character so that he becomes a useful citizen for the country.
• Create religious rituals where all members participate on regular basis
• Encourage them to participate in exercise, games where they can have their energies drained.
• Soft hobbies like music, singing and pets can make them share their emotions
Mind it, this gaming addiction is more dangerous than alcohol, smoking or drugs addictions and you need lots and lots of patience for a long and long time.
11. Low Waist Pants & Health risks
Medical concerns: Constant wearing of low rise jeans without tight waist line increases the risk for hernias and hydroceole, which need surgery at some stage of life. There are certain weak points in the lower margin of abdominal wall where abdomen meets the pelvis. Due to poor fitness, poor support of abdominal muscles and anything which can rise the intra-abdominal pressure leads to entry of some abdominal part such as part of intestine in to groin or into hip region and can develop in to hernia.
Obese children are at highest risk for these problems. I recall my karate teachers saying “waist line should be always tight, hence you tie your belt tight” to save you from problems was distinctly clear. Dance teachers and sports coaches always warned students about tight waistline with good belt / sash. At least 2 % of youth have mild Hydroceole or hernia especially in boys. About 98.5 % of students of both sexes wear low-rise pants and only support they have is from colored underwear. At least 4-5% of students suffer from unexplained neuralgia on their thighs sometimes they are treated for back pain without benefit. Difficulty in sitting and traveling walking is reflected by their gestures “pulling pants up”. I have noticed the difficulty in reversing their habit to waist line pants; they find the pant on waistline is very stuffy and tight. Few have reported with contact dermatitis / hardening of skin on sides of the hip due to rubbing of pants.
In the Canadian Medical Association Journal 2003: Wearing tight low-rise jeans may put pressure on a sensory nerve, the lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh, which can cause pain and paresthesia in the nerve's area of distribution. This is known as Meralgia paresthetica and is associated with a tingling or a burning sensation on the lateral aspect of the thigh. I advice youth should slowly start wearing waist length pants, do regular exercise, all sports active persons must have a tight waste line with belt and also use supporters to prevent Hydroceole; no replacement for regular exercise.
12. Posture related medical problems:
At least 11% increase in posture related severe painful conditions have been recorded in the last decade. You will be surprised to note that 20 year old student has undergone surgery for back problem. Poor posture, excess sitting, poor fitness, poor ergonomics are the major causes for these musculo-skeletal problems. Teachers are responsible to teach the students about correct posture, provided if they understand and follow.
Need of the day
Healthy diet for youth:
• Timely food is very important to have a sound growth and development.
• It is advised all teenagers must have heavy breakfast at the earliest before 8am and their lunch should be before 1pm and the supper should be before 8.30pm.
• Do not reduce carbohydrates from your food because carbohydrate helps actually for exercise.
• Cut down all junk foods, under compulsion may have small quantities occasionally.
• Stop completely all soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Make sure you can consume at least two servings of fruits (no juice) and half a kilo of vegetables per day.
• Inform your parents that you should not consume more than 1/2kg oil/person/month.
• Eat all varieties of dals, vegetables and fruits.
• Make sure you consume large amount of cereals (rice or roti) with adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables and dals.
• Eat one whole egg every day.
• Your water consumption should not exceed more than 4 liters a day.
You can calculate your ideal weight by dividing 100 from your height in cms.
1. Height in (cms) – 100 = ideal weight (kgs).
2. Calculate your BMI from the chart enclosed.
3. Knowing your body fat is helpful for very thin and for very fat people.
You can also calculate your calories by the following method.
1. If your are lean or thin you must consume 30k.cal/kg/day
2. If you are very obese you must consume 20k.cal/kg/day
3. If you are normal weight and fat you may consume 25k.cal/kg/day
Exercise and Life style
1. You must exercise everyday 45 min to 60 min. (walk/jogg/swim/cycle.)
2. You must do some strength exercises three sessions a week
3. You must exercise at least five sessions a week.
4. You must sleep at least 7 hours a day to recharge your brain.
5. Stop smoking, alcohol and frequent visits to pubs.
6. Develop positive attitude and healthy habits and lastly 20 min meditation helps us to make a good citizen of this country.
7. “Even eliminating the remote for your televisions is a good exercise to begin with,”
8. There should be a radical family change to motivate children to become more active and it’s life time habit- active habit we are trying to inculcate.
Role of Government
• Govt. should put hold on schools without sports facilities (G.O’s are existing); colleges must cater to adequate free periods and sports facilities.
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• Physical education teachers should become proactive and insist their role in promoting fitness and exercise awareness in education institutions.
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• Curriculum should include detailed information on exercise, nutrition, ergonomics, stress management and positive life
• Parents, teachers must pay attention towards any weight gain among these students.
• They must motivate teenagers towards physical and domestic activities and provide good time-management.
• If we do not take adequate steps now, there is going to be an epidemic of stress related diseases. Pain and Obesity are the two key areas on which many ailments are going to develop.
