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Anorak News | A Big Future

A Big Future

by | 23rd, June 2005

‘IF being fat is a sign of us doing well, we have never had it so good.

Jamie Oliver aged 6

As the Telegraph reports, a million British children are now obese. It’s a big figure, accounting for a third of all obesity cases seen in the European Union.

And before you say big is beautiful, know that childhood obesity is seen as being a bad thing. And it’s getting worse. As the paper reports, the British Medical Association says 400,000 children are being classed as overweight each year in the EU and 85,000 as obese.

And it’s leading to health problems. Children are now so fat they are suffering from disease normally associated with the middle-aged and elderly.

These include Type 2 diabetes, raised blood pressure and problems with joints.

The BMA sees the solution as a combination of banning the advertising of unhealthy foods aimed at children, so reducing so-called pester power, and creating a council to oversee a national better eating plan.

It says school dinners must reach a mandatory level of nutrition. There should be a legal obligation for food producers to reduce levels of fat, salt and sugar in their stuff.

Fruit and vegetables should be cheap and readily available to all. And playing sports should be encouraged.

So, on your marks… Get set… Go! Last one to the farmers market is a big round doughnut…or too busy eating a bag of them to run properly…’



Posted: 23rd, June 2005 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink