Healthcare professionals are alarmed by the number of obese children who are developing serious medical conditions usually only seen in adults, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The wide availability of cheap, highly processed foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt, aggressive junk food marketing targeting children, the supersizing of fast food meals and sodas, and ‘food deserts’ with limited access to fresh, healthy foods, coupled with inactivity, have contributed to the staggering numbers of children suffering from obesity. Research shows that rather than shift blame on the society or the government, families should realise that if a child grows up in a household with healthy parents and learns the value of making smart food choices, they will likely continue these habits as they get older, reducing their risk of being overweight.
