THE KIDS AREN'T ALRIGHT

Forever hunched over screens, city children in India are falling prey to ‘adult’ diseases. The solutions? A return to the outdoors, healthier eating and enough sleep

- SONALI ACHARJEE

Ritu Malhotra’s heart breaks every time her 12-year-old son Aarav (name changed) trudges back home after football practice instead of hanging out with his friends are ordering burgers. Aarav was diagnosed with Grade 1 fatty liver disease—the initial stage of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, a complication associated largely with adults. Aarav must thus avoid oily food, and his 42-year-old Delhi-based banker mother finds tough to explain why a child his age must say ‘no’ to social situations built around food.

In many urban Indian homes, there is a preponderance of illnesses that are assailing children between the ages of five and 12. “Compared to 10-15 years ago, we are seeing far more children with asthma, obesity, allergies, digestive problems and even physical manifestations of stress,” says Dr Chirag Tandon, director, internal medicine, ShardaCare-Healthcity in Greater Noida. “It means reduced quality of health starts from a younger age now.” The villains of the series playing out in every other home are a sedentary lifestyle, gorging on junk food, reduced time spent outdoors, increasing screentime, lack of sleep....