Obesity in children: A wakeup call
The ticking health crisis that the government is failing to tackle
I talk about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) quite regularly. And I’m not sorry. I believe that in 10 or 20 years, we’ll look back on how many of these food products we eat daily and be truly startled.
In the same way that smoking on a plane or in an office seems unbelievable today, in a decade or two, the fact that UPFs were heavily marketed to children will seem just as unbelievable.
A grim report
I’m writing about this today because of a recent report from the UK government. The report, written by their obesity research unit, delivers some stark home truths about their inaction. They write:
“While the health impacts of excessive snacking on UPF and HFSS foods [products high in fat, sugar and salt] are well documented amongst adults, there is growing evidence of similar impacts on infant, child and adolescent health.”
They explain how fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods are now beyond the means of many of Britain’s families. But UPFs and HFSS foods, which are often available in multi-buy deals, are more accessible to the increasing number of people who struggle to make ends meet.
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