Originally published December 18 2005
Food experts warn parents about the dangers of sugary treats
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Safefood, the Food Safety Promotion Board, has started a campaign in the UK that urges parents to strictly limit the amount of treat foods they give their children, in an effort to curb childhood obesity and the many health problems that stem from it.
The campaign, developed by Safefood, the Food Safety Promotion Board, is targeting food such as chocolate, crisps, sweets, cakes and biscuits.
"At the moment, children are eating, on average, around twice as many treat foods as they should be," Safefood nutritionist Dr Marian Faughnan said.
These contain few nutrients other than calories, fat or sugar, she said.
"In order to protect their child's health now and in adulthood, there is a need to reduce these foods in their child's diet and replace them with more nutritious foods," Dr Faughnan said.
Research by Queen's University and the University of Ulster, carried out as part of the Young Hearts Study, showed that among 12 and 15-year-olds the percentage of children overweight or obese has increased by more than a quarter in the past decade.
Excessive body weight is linked to the development of heart disease and diabetes.
A recent UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey also revealed that a quarter of the fat in children's diet came from treat foods.
Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Safefood's chief public health specialist, said they were not telling parents to completely cut treats out of their children's diets.
"We are simply encouraging parents to view treats, as treats.
"By reducing the quantity of treats given to children, parents will be taking the first step towards improving their child's health in the long-term."
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