6 days Ago By Simran Arora
New Delhi: Over the past decade, childhood obesity has emerged as a quickly increasing public health issue globally, and India is no exception to this trend. Of the factors contributing to this, one that is particularly on the rise is the increasing culture of eating out. Whether it’s changing family lifestyles or aggressive advertising by fast food chains, there are several reasons why excessive consumption of outside food is fuelling childhood obesity.
Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker, Consultant Bariatric and Laparoscopic Surgeon, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, spoke about the obesity crisis in kids and how eating out is a key factor to blame.Cultural Evolution and Increased Exposure to Eating Out: Over the last two decades, city life has undergone a transformation.
The introduction of mall culture with food courts and restaurants has popularized dining out. As opposed to earlier times when people visited restaurants and fast food joints only on special occasions, it has become a routine affair now. Fast food is now accessible to children from a very tender age.
Going out with the family, social outings, and even weekend holidays now revolve around eating outside.Quality of Street and Restaurant Food: One of the principal issues with outside food is its poor nutritional content. Street food may entail recycled oil, which becomes increasingly harmful with excessively high trans-fat content.
Trans fats are positively linked with increased risk for obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders. Restaurant foods and fast foods are typically high in calories, high in sodium, and unhealthy fats. Pizzas, pastas, burgers, and fries are highly processed and calorie-dense.
Moreover, the quality of ingredients used, like cheese and oils, is often questionable, contributing to excessive unhealthy weight gain in children.Convenience and Technology-Driven Lifestyle: Another important shift is the convenience of food delivery platforms. With food just a click away, even young children, some as young as seven or eight, know how to order food online.
This 24/7 access means that unhealthy food is not just available but incredibly easy to get. Parents, often pressed for time, may also rely on food delivery more frequently, unintentionally encouraging a habit of consuming calorie-rich meals over nutritious home-cooked food.Extensive Marketing of Junk Foods to Children: Aggressive advertising of junk food brands influences the food choices made by children.
Children are repeatedly exposed to commercials for chips, sweet drinks, pizzas, chocolates, and other processed foods. These marketing strategies make junk food seem popular, cool, and appealing, making it more attractive to children. This form of manipulation is particularly concerning because children do not have the critical thinking skills to critique advertising.
Repeated exposure increases their affinity for junk and processed foods, rendering it difficult for parents to enforce healthier food patterns in the home.Lack of Regulation and Need for Policy InterventionWhile parents and schools play a critical role in promoting healthy behaviors, there is also a pressing need for systemic regulation. Stronger laws need to be formulated and enacted to limit the advertising of unhealthy foods to children.
There must also be clear labelling on packaged food that is high in sugar, salt, and fat, and that can also help parents make informed choices. Moreover, celebrities and influencers must recognize their responsibility. Endorsing and promoting unhealthy food products and drinks will go a long way in influencing unhealthy habits among millions of children.
There is a need for more prudence and accountability to support healthier lifestyles for future generations.Solutions and Preventive Strategies: In response to the growing problem of obesity among children, a multi-level approach is required:Parental Awareness and Responsibility: Encouraging consumption of home-cooked food and educating kids on the importance of healthy nutrition.Educational Interventions: Nutrition education needs to be included in the school curriculum to develop healthy eating habits from a young age.
Government Policies: Regulative steps to limit unhealthy food advertising to children, clear nutritional labelling, and promote healthier choices.Dining out more often, easy availability of processed foods, and excessive promotion of fast foods are all key contributors to rising childhood obesity. While family norms and personal choice are relevant, societal and legislative changes at a broader level are needed in order to make the next generation healthy and fit.
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