New Delhi, India

A recent study found that there’s an increase in the proportion of healthy kids who are dieting to reduce their weight. Everybody is so conscious and particular about their weight, and how they look, majorly youngsters. Experts from Oxford University surveyed 34,000 kids on their weight and discovered that the proportion of kids with a healthy body mass index (BMI) has tripled in the previous two decades. In a survey, children were asked if they want to grow, maintain or reduce their weight. Only 5 per cent said they were keen to lose weight when this study began in 1997. But it rose to 14 per cent by the year 2016, Mirror reported.

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According to the data, over one in three kids in the United Kingdom is overweight or obese. 

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Children’s health behaviours were tracked while responses from 34,235 children, between the age group of 8 to 17 participated in the Health Survey for England done between the year 1997 to 2016.

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Children who were obese has a fourfold increased likelihood of trying to lose weight, and then the proportion of overweight children doing so doubled. Researchers called the study that overweight and obese kids are more likely to shed weight as success.

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Nearly 26.5 per cent of youngsters, according per the study were attempting to lose weight in the year 2016, per the findings published in Archives of Disease in Childhood. Children between 13 to 17 were more likely to reduce their weight. 

According to Tam Fry, chairman of the National obese Forum in conversation with the daily mail said, “The news that more and more children appear to be taking their weight seriously is most welcome but this success must be greeted with a hint of caution. He further added, “It is concerning that children with a healthy weight appear to be 'dieting' and they should be gently told to snap out of it.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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