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Child obesity alert. Parents urged to tackle problem
of overweight children.
Schools
and parents were warned today to take action to combat
a health timebomb linked to childhood
obesity. Speaking
about the issue Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the
Health Promotion Agency, said: "We know from research
that what children eat and drink when they are young can
affect
their health for many years to come, so developing good eating
habits at an early age is crucial. We also know that childhood
obesity is a major public health issue in Northern Ireland.
“Research carried out by the Agency shows that a third
of boys and a quarter of girls aged 12 carry excess weight.
Research also shows that obesity can impact on a child’s
life on many levels. Obesity can present immediate and future
health problems including high blood pressure, an increased
risk of heart disease and diabetes. Overweight children can
also suffer from psychological problems such as depression,
lack of self-esteem and self confidence.
“There
are many ways to combat this growing problem of obesity
including providing children with a healthy,
varied, balanced
diet rich in fruit and veg both at school and at home as
well as increasing physical activity levels both at school
and outside school which will improve their overall health
and wellbeing.”
END
For
further information:
Contact
Jenny Dougan on 028 9031 1611
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