The junk food generation... children face obesity crisis
SCOTTISH children are facing an obesity time bomb as they eat more fast food than ever before.
Youngsters are consuming more burgers, chips and sugary drinks than Scotland’s adults – and children in the rest of Britain, a damning study published today reveals.
The dire prediction is that two in five children could be overweight in 14 years.
Geoff Ogle, chief executive of Food Standards Scotland, warns that ‘40 per cent obesity levels in Scotland is going to be a certainty’ without urgent action.
He is calling on restaurants to cut fat and sugar, reduce portion sizes, label calories and offer healthier options.
The FSS report highlights the growing popularity of eating meals and snacks out of the home and takeaways, a sector which is up by 3 per cent in three years.
It found visits to one fast-food chain ‘grew rapidly’ between 2014 and 2015 and one unnamed fast-food outlet was found to account for 36.9 per cent of meals given out of the home to children aged up to 12. Scots visited ‘quick service restaurants’ more often last year than in 2012, with fish and chips and burger vendors noting the biggest rise in visits.
The report indicates less healthy food was more likely to be consumed by children in Scotland, compared with the country’s adults and youngsters in the rest of Great Britain.
FSS is seeking ‘co-operation’ from restaurants, shops, takeaways and cafes to reduce how much fatty and sugary food is sold.
They are urged to combat high fat, salt and sugar through changing recipes, smaller portions, calorie labelling, improving children’s options and revising marketing and advertising.
FSS said the findings highlighted the need for urgent action given that obesity levels are projected to hit 40 per cent by 2030.
Mr Ogle said: ‘As well as encouraging individuals to choose healthier options when eating out, it is vital that businesses also play their part through reformulation of products to reduce calories, fats, sugars and salt, reductions in portion sizes and less promotion of products that are high in fat, sugar and salt.
‘We are pleased with the increased positive engagement between Food Standards Scotland and the retail and manufacturing sectors.
‘Collectively, individuals, government and industry have to take responsibility and agree that action is essential, and the debate needs to move to getting on with delivering effective solutions. We are buying and consuming too many unhealthy options. It’s bad for our health.’
The move to overhaul menus was last night welcomed by obesity charities.
Lorraine Tulloch, programme lead for Obesity Action Scotland, said: ‘Reformulation, reducing portion sizes, offering more healthy foods, calorie labelling and tackling the over-promotion of unhealthy foods are positive and tangible steps we can take.
‘Transforming our food environments to enable the healthy option to become the easy, and cheaper, option is vital for tackling Scotland’s obesity crisis.’
Tam Fry, spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, said: ‘Finally the message is getting through. The food industry is starting to respond positively.’
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Public Health and Sport, said: ‘Last month’s Scottish Health Survey showed a rise in the number of healthy weight children. The proportion of healthy weight boys has risen for the fourth year running to 73 per cent – the highest level since reporting of data began in 1998. For girls, the level has risen to 70 per cent.
‘While this is encouraging, we must continue to engage with the food and drink industry on action to offer healthier choices, rebalance promotions and reformulate products, with a focus on reducing calories, salt, fats and added sugar.
‘This report from Food Standards Scotland shows that restaurants, cafes and takeaways play an important role in this.’
Catering industry leaders insist that they are already promoting healthy eating. William Macleod, executive director of the British Hospitality Association in Scotland, said: ‘Together with our members we have long been working to reduce calories, cut sugar and salt in products.
‘The BHA is working to create a nutrition guide, which will provide sensible and manageable ways to provide more healthy menu options.’
A spokesman for the Scottish Grocers Federation said: ‘The Scottish Grocers Federation Healthy Living Programme has been extremely successful in promoting healthy eating options in independent convenience stores.
‘Over 1,600 stores are now participating across Scotland and in the past four years the number of adults buying fresh fruit and vegetables per store visit has increased by 80 per cent.
‘Independent convenience store retailers are already playing a very significant part in encouraging healthy eating.’
‘Buying too many unhealthy options’ ‘Working to cut sugar and salt’