It has been a rather bitty week in the world of news. In South Africa, Oscar Pistorius has dominated headlines after being charged for murdering his girlfriend on Valentine's Day morning and has recently been granted bail accompanied with a series of serious conditions. In India, UK Prime Minister David Cameron has visited the country to ensure strong ties between both countries - if only Cameron tried to strengthened ties with the people he governs. Meanwhile back home in the UK, we have a genuine problem Cameron cannot hide away from - obesity...
The Academy of Medical Royal College (an organisation which represents a vast majority of UK-based doctors) has called on the government to increase taxes on fizzy drinks. This is one of many proposals they have brought forward in what they brand the current obesity situation as a "huge crisis". They also recommend a ban on fatty food advertising before 9pm, a reduction of fast food outlets near schools, and that food labels must include calorie information for children.
I must admit, I was delighted to hear that a doctors' association has finally broken the silence on an issue the whole world has been ashamed admitting to. When I pass children (under the age of 16) in such situation, I have no choice but to sympathise them. They don't know any better - they eat what they're given when they're young and given little knowledge of what the consequences are if you eat a bag of chips in consecutive days. Remember, it is never the child's fault.
However, I do have some disagreements of the doctors' political recommendations. I know they are among the most trusted professionals and we must take their advice into serious consideration, but showing calorie information on children's food isn't going to work. Even I don't look at such information and if you look at Tesco for example, although the own brand 450g chunky chips contains high levels of calories and fat, it costs £2.45. That is almost 80p more expensive than Tesco own brand basmati rice and nearly £2 more pricey than Tesco own brand penne pasta - both of which containing 40 calories and eight grams of fat less than the chips in a typical 100g serving. These are true facts but often ignored by those purchasing the items.
This example also brings up another issue - pricing. Another recommendation the Academy advised the British government is that sugary and fizzy drink prices need to go up by an extra twenty percent. Again, this is something both adults and children will ignore. I am bound to notice it as I am on a tight budget but for most, this will make no difference and the likes of Coca Cola and Pepsi will live another day enjoying sky high profits. In Tesco, prices for a 600g Pepsi bottle stands at £1.21 compared to 90p back in 2010. Another 20 percent increase would mean that Pepsi bottle would be £1.51. For me, that sounds off-putting and the idea is effective, but I cannot honestly say this recommendation would help combat obesity.
What can be done? Is there something the doctors have missed out? Has something been said, but lacked emphasis? For me, first things first - limit using the word "obese". If I was classed as "obese" and I'd be called that by experts constantly, I'd feel a little depressed and may ignore the potential risks being bigger would have to my body. Parents can play a vital role to end the obesity taboo. They can act to change the child's perception of food. Yes, there are far too many chip places but we have to ensure that going to those places are considered a treat, not a daily eating habit.
Parents can also encourage their children to embrace a balanced diet. It does seem daunting to see adverts put up a fruit on our televisions and say that's one of our five-a-day, therefore, eating an apple can change your life. Combating obesity is more than that - you can eat your five portions of fruit and vegetables everyday without failure, yet still be classed as "obese". Once you eat, take advantage of all the energy you have and exercise. Even if it's walking up-and-down a few flight of stairs a day, it is still a physical accomplishment. Advertisers should take more advantage of that aspect of dieting rather than scaring children with obesity this, and obesity that. This simply discourages a child to take sport in school, therefore not gain enough confidence to make friends at times they need most.
In places like France, Germany and, well, almost every country in the world, people encourage children to go to a park, play football, make friends and get active. In Britain's major cities for example, children cannot have that pleasure of having a park near them so therefore, they resort to streets and pavements to ride on scooters which doesn't require so much energy. The government has to invest in new green areas in neglected parts of the UK. This will encourage children to go out and have a bit of fun, instead of receiving abuse from a passerby making an odd snide remark such as "you kids get off the street".
Another thing the government could do, instead of hiking prices of junk food, is hold the rights to reduce the prices of fruit, salad, vegetables, wholemeal bread and so on. I appreciate the farmers need the profit to harvest and sell their goods to supermarkets at a profitable price, but in times of a recession, reducing prices of healthier goods has to be an option farmers and grocers need to consider. That will encourage more people to buy their goods and in the long-term, profits will begin to generate.
Obesity statistics are worrying, I can acknowledge this, but children will not take notice of things like that. Their main influences are their parents, close friends and other relatives. They are also most likely to listen to celebrities. In a celebrity-induced planet, those household names that have gone the extra mile to aim for a healthier lifestyle must make more of an appearance, people like Dawn French and Johnny Vegas. They lost an incredible amount of weight the hard way and can inspire young people to do so as well.
People, who are classed as obese, young or old, cannot walk alone in this battle. They need to live in an environment which accepts and acts appropriately in combating high obesity levels.
While we're talking food, the horse meat saga has escalated since I have last written four weeks ago. When I last wrote, about Lance Armstrong, the story was only a problem for a small number of ready meals in Lidl and Tesco. Now, this supposed scandal has affected different countries including the Netherlands and France.
Companies such as Findus have been caught using horse DNA in their lasagne and spaghetti bolognese ready meals - some of its samples contained 100 percent horse meat, rather than beef specified in its list of ingredients. People can argue that Findus are a bunch of liars for not telling us the truth but supermarkets had to keep alert about this as they didn't want to sell something like this. Anyway, arrests have been made but the thought of prosecution may be a step too far. It is a petty crime compared to others who have gotten away with worse crimes in the past.
The Academy of Medical Royal College (an organisation which represents a vast majority of UK-based doctors) has called on the government to increase taxes on fizzy drinks. This is one of many proposals they have brought forward in what they brand the current obesity situation as a "huge crisis". They also recommend a ban on fatty food advertising before 9pm, a reduction of fast food outlets near schools, and that food labels must include calorie information for children.
I must admit, I was delighted to hear that a doctors' association has finally broken the silence on an issue the whole world has been ashamed admitting to. When I pass children (under the age of 16) in such situation, I have no choice but to sympathise them. They don't know any better - they eat what they're given when they're young and given little knowledge of what the consequences are if you eat a bag of chips in consecutive days. Remember, it is never the child's fault.
However, I do have some disagreements of the doctors' political recommendations. I know they are among the most trusted professionals and we must take their advice into serious consideration, but showing calorie information on children's food isn't going to work. Even I don't look at such information and if you look at Tesco for example, although the own brand 450g chunky chips contains high levels of calories and fat, it costs £2.45. That is almost 80p more expensive than Tesco own brand basmati rice and nearly £2 more pricey than Tesco own brand penne pasta - both of which containing 40 calories and eight grams of fat less than the chips in a typical 100g serving. These are true facts but often ignored by those purchasing the items.
This example also brings up another issue - pricing. Another recommendation the Academy advised the British government is that sugary and fizzy drink prices need to go up by an extra twenty percent. Again, this is something both adults and children will ignore. I am bound to notice it as I am on a tight budget but for most, this will make no difference and the likes of Coca Cola and Pepsi will live another day enjoying sky high profits. In Tesco, prices for a 600g Pepsi bottle stands at £1.21 compared to 90p back in 2010. Another 20 percent increase would mean that Pepsi bottle would be £1.51. For me, that sounds off-putting and the idea is effective, but I cannot honestly say this recommendation would help combat obesity.
What can be done? Is there something the doctors have missed out? Has something been said, but lacked emphasis? For me, first things first - limit using the word "obese". If I was classed as "obese" and I'd be called that by experts constantly, I'd feel a little depressed and may ignore the potential risks being bigger would have to my body. Parents can play a vital role to end the obesity taboo. They can act to change the child's perception of food. Yes, there are far too many chip places but we have to ensure that going to those places are considered a treat, not a daily eating habit.
Parents can also encourage their children to embrace a balanced diet. It does seem daunting to see adverts put up a fruit on our televisions and say that's one of our five-a-day, therefore, eating an apple can change your life. Combating obesity is more than that - you can eat your five portions of fruit and vegetables everyday without failure, yet still be classed as "obese". Once you eat, take advantage of all the energy you have and exercise. Even if it's walking up-and-down a few flight of stairs a day, it is still a physical accomplishment. Advertisers should take more advantage of that aspect of dieting rather than scaring children with obesity this, and obesity that. This simply discourages a child to take sport in school, therefore not gain enough confidence to make friends at times they need most.
In places like France, Germany and, well, almost every country in the world, people encourage children to go to a park, play football, make friends and get active. In Britain's major cities for example, children cannot have that pleasure of having a park near them so therefore, they resort to streets and pavements to ride on scooters which doesn't require so much energy. The government has to invest in new green areas in neglected parts of the UK. This will encourage children to go out and have a bit of fun, instead of receiving abuse from a passerby making an odd snide remark such as "you kids get off the street".
Another thing the government could do, instead of hiking prices of junk food, is hold the rights to reduce the prices of fruit, salad, vegetables, wholemeal bread and so on. I appreciate the farmers need the profit to harvest and sell their goods to supermarkets at a profitable price, but in times of a recession, reducing prices of healthier goods has to be an option farmers and grocers need to consider. That will encourage more people to buy their goods and in the long-term, profits will begin to generate.
Obesity statistics are worrying, I can acknowledge this, but children will not take notice of things like that. Their main influences are their parents, close friends and other relatives. They are also most likely to listen to celebrities. In a celebrity-induced planet, those household names that have gone the extra mile to aim for a healthier lifestyle must make more of an appearance, people like Dawn French and Johnny Vegas. They lost an incredible amount of weight the hard way and can inspire young people to do so as well.
People, who are classed as obese, young or old, cannot walk alone in this battle. They need to live in an environment which accepts and acts appropriately in combating high obesity levels.
While we're talking food, the horse meat saga has escalated since I have last written four weeks ago. When I last wrote, about Lance Armstrong, the story was only a problem for a small number of ready meals in Lidl and Tesco. Now, this supposed scandal has affected different countries including the Netherlands and France.
Companies such as Findus have been caught using horse DNA in their lasagne and spaghetti bolognese ready meals - some of its samples contained 100 percent horse meat, rather than beef specified in its list of ingredients. People can argue that Findus are a bunch of liars for not telling us the truth but supermarkets had to keep alert about this as they didn't want to sell something like this. Anyway, arrests have been made but the thought of prosecution may be a step too far. It is a petty crime compared to others who have gotten away with worse crimes in the past.
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