Obesity rates are on the rise globally. Overweight or obese children have an increased risk of developing diseases such as heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain cancers earlier in life, and are more likely to remain obese throughout their adult life.
Not only does obesity have far-reaching health effects for a child, but it also has vast social and economic implications. These include bullying, teasing and low self-esteem, as well as increased healthcare costs and loss of income later in life.
The rising obesity rate has a lot to do with what our children are eating. Curious to find an answer, researchers at Duke National University of Singapore investigated the type of food associated with overweight and obese children, using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, which recorded the diet and body mass index (BMI) of nearly 4 500 children in England in the 1990s.
They found convincing evidence that certain foods might be causing disproportionate harm.
Here are their findings on the worst foods you can feed your children:
- Potato chips
- French fries
- Fried chicken and fish
- Processed meats
- Fatty spreads, such as margarine
- Any foods with refined sugar, such as sweetened cereals, sweets and sugary drinks
- Refined grains, such as the bleached white flour found in most processed foods, white bread, white rice
