Dear Parent
It’s shocking but true. India has more than 1 million children with Type 1 diabetes, according to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). With childhood obesity pegged at 50 percent in metros, Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes among children is also rising alarmingly.
Given the large quantities of fried and packaged foods our children consume, their health could be in grave danger during the next five-10 years.
It’s becoming increasingly apparent that children are becoming victims of what were perceived as ‘adult’ diseases, including gall bladder and kidney stones, high cholesterol and metabolic disorders. It’s frightening to think of what will happen to the next generation, after years of consuming carcinogenic products, fried stuff, food additives, and excess salt and sugar.
It’s time to confront this issue on a war footing, before we nurture a generation infected with chronic diseases.
Greater effort needs to be made to ban the sale of junk foods in schools and hospitals. Safety norms in food production must be enforced to ensure unsafe food colouring and other additives do not find their way into packaged foods. As parents, we need to speak up and press the authorities and society for change.
At home, we need to encourage exercises such as skipping. cycling, running, and trampoline jumping. Moreover, the parents community needs to restrict television, iPad, and other gadgets to planned timings. Planned menus which include daily fibre intake will also help flush out toxins accumulating in our children’s bodies. Let’s realise the gravity of the situation and act before it’s too late!
