Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Ulster children get 7 times more treats
Sugary foods given every day Expertsraise health concerns
CHILDREN are being given unhealthy “treats” seven times more often than they should be, experts warned yesterday.
Research by the Safefood agency revealed the snacks are being handed to kids “everywhere, every day”.
It warned sugary and fatty foodstuffs are being given to youngsters against a backdrop of a quarter of children aged two to 15 being reported as being overweight (18%) or obese (9%).
Safefood’s research found only 6% of parents said they give treats rarely or never, while 12% give them at least once a day.
The findings found the main reasons for giving treats were rewarding good behaviour, because kids asked for them or to make them feel better.
Safefood nutitionist Dr Marian O’reilly said: “We need to change our thinking around the term treats. This word implies something that is both a reward and infrequent. Parents tell us in our latest research that treats are now ‘everywhere, every day’ for children in Northern Ireland.
“They make up almost a quarter of what our children eat on a daily basis and have gone from an ‘occasional food’ to an everyday food. Gradually and without realising it, we’re routinely giving our children foods which affects their health.
“These foods are linked in the short-term with poor dental health and in the longer term with many chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
“Treat foods can still be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet but in small amounts and not every day.”