Guess how many children between the ages of two and 17 in B.C. are considered obese? And guess how many are considered overweight?
In B.C. about 51,000 children (seven per cent) are classified as obese and an additional 20 per cent are considered over-
weight. Childhood diabetes is on the rise, and one only has to go to a local movie theatre to see why. The vast majority of children are sugarholics - hooked on soft drinks, chocolates and even breakfast cereals that are loaded with sugar. Pity the poor parents stuck in a lineup at a food store with a couple of toddlers in tow. It's like running a gauntlet filled with sweets placed just at a child's level to seemingly torture both the child and adult.
Who can fault a mom or dad who caves when the screaming child can't be soothed?
Kudos to the provincial government leaders who, once again, are trying to help B.C. children achieve a healthy weight.
The government announced last week that it was expanding the Childhood Healthy Weights Intervention Initiative with another $2 million (it kicked off in 2011 with $6 million). Although it seems like a pittance compared to how much obesity costs us in medical costs. Obesity-related illnesses cost the British Columbia health system an estimated $380 million annually.
The experts correctly point out that our relationship to food is forged at an early age - they don't call it comfort food for nothing - and developing better eating habits and choices must start at an early age.
So the next time you see a toddler screaming in a food store near the candy aisle, give a thumbs up to the harried parent and put your own soft drinks back.
