14 DAY TRIAL // Reports issued recently raise serious questions about the future of our children, who could die faster because of obesity. Type-2 diabetes, a disease which affects overweight middle-aged people, is now frequent in children as well, at least 100 being diagnosed per year. Efforts to combat these worrying results, the threatening obesity, are scarce.
The aim is to stop the rise in child obesity by 2010, but this aim is expected to be missed. A survey conducted in 35 countries by the World Health Organization show that British children have the unhealthiest diets in Europe. These harmful diets include, among others, chocolate, sweets and carbonated soft drinks.
If this will continue, the present generation will not have a long live as their parents do. In the United Kingdom obesity 'costs' around ?1 billion. Considering its increase, the costs will rise to ?3.6 billion by 2010. If nothing will be done to change the diet of these children, by 2020, half of the children will be obese, thing which will increase the number of amputations and blindness caused by diabetes.
The reports mentioned earlier suggest a decrease of the number of obese children by controlling their diets and building more school sports facilities.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, stated: "Central government must set a clear direction if we are to tackle obesity in children. Given that the target was established in 2004, the three government departments could have been quicker in co-ordinating their own actions and making sure that those in the front line were fully informed and supported in their efforts."
In 1995, 22.7% of children aged 2 to 10 were overweight or obese. The figures rose by 2003 to 27.7%. Asian children are 4 times more likely to become obese than white ones. Obesity reduces life expectancy by 9 years, increasing the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and heart diseases.