BSS-08 Junk food causes serious health hazard to children

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BSS-08

JUNK-FOOD-OBESITY (UNICEF FEATURE)

Junk food causes serious health hazard to children

DHAKA, Jan 26, 2018 (BSS) – As school children are increasingly becoming
fond of taking junk food containing high calories and saturated fat, it is
indicative of a major health concern that may stand on way to build a healthy
nation.

Lack of cautionary guidelines and social awareness about ill effects of
junk food, children and youngsters are getting prone to the habit of junk
food as parents are less attentive to discouraging taking of unhealthy junk
food that is easy to eat.

As nutritionists observe high calories in fast food turn children obese and
these foods contain saturated fat which is very harmful to health, it needs
urgent attention of all concerned to save children and youngsters.

Shohan, a class III student of Motijheel Ideal School and College, is no
exception to develop such a luring food-habit as he is keen on eating fried
chicken and cold drink after his school time.

This minor boy was found running to his mother immediately after school
time requesting her to buy a chicken fry for him. “I’m hungry. Please, buy
for me a chicken fry,” said Sohan clasping hands of his mother Jebun Nahar.

Reciprocating to her son’s request, affectionate mother started fondling
him and proceeding to a nearby fast food shop and bought a fried chicken and
a soft drink for Sohan.

Talking to this correspondent, Jebun Nahar said her son used to make such
requests every day after school time. “He doesn’t take homemade foods that I
use to give him for Tiffin. So I bought for him fast food after school time,”
she added.

Interviewing a dozen of parents of school-going children in the capital,
this correspondent found that addiction to junk food is gradually increasing
as the tender-aged boys are falling easy prey to such harmful food-habit.

Asked whether they are aware of the harmful effects of taking fast food
items in abundance, dozens of parents expressed identical views about junk
food habit. “They are children. So they need to have more foods. When they
will grow up, they will be aware of their food habit,” said Kohinur Begum.

Sexagenarian Kohinur Begum, who went to receive her grandson from school
said, “Decades ago, homemade cake used to be favourite food to children. My
children loved to have homemade food. But the situation has now changed
drastically. Now my grandson love to eat chicken fries.”

In 2010 alone, obesity and overweight were estimated to have caused 3.4
million deaths globally, mostly from cardiovascular causes, according to the
IHME study published in the UK-based medical journal The Lancet.

For want of public awareness programme, non-communicable disease like
obesity is spreading among new generation which may impact on the country in
future, nutritionists said. According to them, obese and overweight people
have higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, liver
and gallbladder diseases, and respiratory problems.

Experts say excessive intake of calorie-rich food and less physical
activity are major reasons behind overweight and obesity among urban people.

According to a study titled ‘Obesity prevalence and patterns of diet and
physical activity among children and adolescents in urban areas in
Bangladesh’ undertaken by ICDDR,B shows that 10 percent of children aged
between 5-18 years old are overweight while four percent are obese.

The study was conducted in seven cities across Bangladesh. Around 4,100
children living in 30 wards of each of the seven city corporation areas
participated in the study. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using the age
and sex specific BMI values set by the International Obesity Task Force.

Dr. Md. Nizamul Hoque Buiyan, Professor of Institute of Nutrition and Food
Science, said the fast food being eaten by children between the ages of 5 and
18 years is not nutritious. “Children are not eating vegetables and fruits at
all. These fast foods are leading to serious health problems,” he said.

“Parents are mainly responsible for it. They meet their children’s demands
instead of discouraging them about fast food,” he said, suggesting parents to
be more cautious about fast food culture.

The ICDDR, B study indicates that there is a double burden of both under-
nutrition, which is 30 percent, and over-nutrition, that accounts for 14
percent of the surveyed children.

A sharp decrease in the prevalence of underweight was observed with
increase in age among the children, but a slow rise in overweight and obesity
was observed with increase in age, the study said.

Prof AK Azad Khan, President of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, said
children are getting fond of taking fast food and cold drinks rich in sugar
and calories, but no cautionary guidelines are there from the authorities.

“There are two negative impacts of fast food. For instance, burger
contains excessive calories which turn children obese. On the other hand,
these foods contain trans fat and saturated fat which are very harmful to
health,” he said.

Many countries have banned fast food’s advertisement for children. “In our
country there is no such guideline. Moreover, fast food shops are being set
up targeting school children,” he said. This practice should be stopped to
save the future generation from health hazard, he added.

BSS/UNICEF FEATURE/MKD/GMR/KU/1507 hrs