Stay fit and healthy, avoid overeating

Students have a tendency to put on weight during board exams. Doctors attribute the extra weight gain to inactivity, stress and over-eating.

Students have a tendency to put on weight during board exams. Doctors attribute the extra weight gain to inactivity, stress and over-eating.

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“There is no physical activity to help them improve their basal metabolic rate and therefore, the weight gain,” said Dr. S.L. Yadav, associate professor, department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Dr. Yadav says the weight gain is because of stress. "Many students have a tendency to eat more to fight stress. I advise students to take small meals but eat more often, this helps improve digestion and without causing lethargy."

The unlimited cups of tea and coffee students take to stay awake add to the weight gain.

“It is not tea and coffee but sugar that is most harmful. Children don't realise that one teaspoon of sugar contains 150 kilocalories and similarly five cups contain 750 kilocalories multiplied into cumulative number of days that a child spends studying," said Dr. Yadav

He strictly advises a 40-minute walk every day.

"This helps to keep the mind and the body healthy," he said.

Sugar rich food and juices containing unsaturated fats should be avoided at all costs, say doctors.

"Strong tea and coffee to keep awake are a strict no as they cause heart burn. Snacking on junk food is really harmful also," said Rekha Sharma, chief dietician, Medanta, the Medicity in Gurgaon.