Fit for nothing

THE news that our teenagers and children are among the unhealthiest in the world is shocking, but sadly not surprising.

We are told lack of exercise in adolescence is linked to chronic health conditions in later life. When I compare my Fifties and Sixties childhood, I can identify today’s problems without recourse to experts.

My parents didn’t own a car, so I walked to and from school. My free time was spent on the street, playing games and charging about.

We didn’t eat ready meals, but dinners cooked from scratch. Nearly all the children I knew were slim.

Now, children are ferried to school in cars, spend free time on electronic devices and eat junk food. DON TOWNSHEND,

Chelmsford, Essex.