Don’t order off children’s menu

PARENTS have been advised not to order from children’s menus when out for family meals – to prevent their children from becoming obese.

With Ireland’s childhood obesity levels soaring to worryingly high levels, health experts have called on restaurant owners to offer children healthier options.

Obesity watchdogs say they’re concerned that standard children’s menus are still dominated by calorie-laden meals like chicken nuggets and chips, pizzas and cheeseburgers.

Dr Marian O’Reilly, chief specialist in nutrition at Safefood Ireland, said: ‘I’d encourage parents to ask for half portions from the adult menu when they’re ordering for their children.

‘Kids don’t have to eat sausages and burgers when they’re out for a meal, and restaurants should have no problem in providing child-size portions of their main meal options.

‘We’re all different types of eaters, but children will copy us. So if they see us eating vegetables, then they’re more likely to do so, too.’

According to Safefood Ireland, one in four Irish children are overweight or obese, with bad food choices the main factor behind the obesity epidemic.

But introducing other straightforward measures, like conducting a health check of the weekly shop, could quickly help to reverse the alarming trend.

Irish families spend about 20% of the household budget on treat food, whereas only 7% goes on vegetables.

Parents have also been advised to ban laptops and phones from their children’s bedrooms to ensure they sleep well and stay healthy.

Research suggests that sleep deprivation is likely to trigger increased levels of hunger which could lead to overeating and weight gain.