Junk food is a killer

Istrongly believe that new culture has greatly contributed to the current epidemic of obesity and bad health (“New app to keep a watch on Dubai eateries”, Gulf News, April 13). Most of the parents of this generation have literally lost total control of their children, even from a very young age. They have no voice when it comes to what their children want to do, where they want to go, whom they want to meet, what they want to wear, if they want to learn and last but not the least what they want to eat. As kids mostly live in the virtual world, they see themselves as global citizens who do not have to follow any particular patterns be it in the case of religion, culture, language, norms, clothing or even food habits. When it comes to food, we all know that our traditional food is always healthier than the fast food. But as parents succumb to their children’s whims and fancies, the calorie ridden junk foods become a part of the daily diet. Parents even provide junk food as a treat, as a bribe or just to pacify them in some cases. They fail to realise that this fast food can have a negative effect on the health of children, not only in the form of being overweight and causing obesity due to the high calorie content, but also as a trigger for many other serious diseases. The presence of the numerous chemicals in such foods is harmful to the human body. Most of the junk food cannot be classified as food, they are just ‘ultra-processed factory products’. Parents must realise the fact that children have no wisdom and limited knowledge on such matters.

From Ms Sajida Kamal

Abu Dhabi