Is he right to be concerned about childhood obesity? Or is he trying to stop people enjoying the food they love? Here we take a look at the facts:
– More than 1 in 5 children are overweight or obese when they start school;
– Almost 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese by they time they leave primary school;
– Obesity rates are highest in the most deprived 10% of the population;
– Obesity and being overweight are linked to a wide range of diseases; Diabetes type 2, asthma, hypertension, cancer, heart disease and stroke;
– Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to be bullied, stigmatised and have low self-esteem;
– The amount of sugar that children consume on a daily basis is a major contributing factor to gaining weight; Sugary drinks account for 30% of 4 to 10 year olds daily sugar intake;
– In England only 21% of boys and 16% of girls achieve the recommended levels of physical activity each day;
– As a country we spend more each year on dealing with the problems caused by obesity than we spend on the police and fire services – around £16bn;
Jamie Oliver is right to be concerned about childhood obesity and he is right to want the government to do something about it. If there was an outbreak of rickets due to poor diet we would all be shouting for the government to do something. Why should it be different for obesity? But we can help ourselves too by making some simple lifestyle changes.
-Walk more, don’t catch the bus or try getting off a couple stops before your usual stop;
– If you’re watching TV get up every 30 minutes and walk around;
– Take up swimming, it’s the best all round exercise;
– Drink more water, it’s free, it’s good for your, it’s got no calories;
– Make use of the lovely parks we have in Lewisham and Greenwich, a brisk walk around a park is a great form of exercise;
– Have sugar free days – just have fruit instead of cake, biscuits, sweets, chocolate and sugary drinks. Do this twice a week, you’ll feel the benefits straight away!
– Cut back on the carbs, eat more protein and vegetables.
All in all, we can make a difference, just by making small changes.