Causes of Childhood Obesity:
- Portion sizes are too big
- Children are brought up indoors
- Prices of unhealthy/healthy foods
- Food eaten in excess
- Food is not seen as sociable
- Some parents don’t teach children about healthy eating
- Shops present sweets and confectionary
- Cheap veg and meat – hydroponically grown
- School dinners can be unhealthy
- Technology
- Exercise for health rather than weight management
- Driving instead of walking
- Eat unhealthier – sugar makes you hungry and doesn’t fill you up
- Councils closing sports facilities
- Sedentary jobs and lifestyle
- Big food = market power
- Convenience
- Sugar is addictive
- Both poor/middle/higher class – all different factors/causes
Statistics:
- For every 5 adverts – 2 are food based
- 1 in 10 adverts restaurants, confectionary, supermarket junk food
- 12 ads of junk food per hour (taken fromt he programme The Voice) which 708,500 kids watch
- 50 years ago – no junk food, homemade meals, smaller plates, move more
How to Solve Obesity:
- Nutritional choices
- Reinstate parental and guardian responsibility
- Diet and exercise balance
- Burn energy throughout day through sport and activities
- Take responsibility for own health and children’s health
- Cooking lessons
