JULY-AUGUST 2001

Childhood obesity, An alarming tendency Obesity has reached an epidemic proportion in most industrialized countries and even in some underdeveloped countries. There are as many persons suffering from obesity as persons suffering from malnutrition on the planet. The amount of Canadian obese children is on the rise. According to a recent study published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the percentage of obesity has increased by 92% in boys and by 57% in girls between the years 1981 and 1996. The prevalence of obesity in youngsters has more than doubled during that period. This situation is very alarming since we know that 50% of obese boys older that 6 will be severely obese adults, and that 80% of obese adolescents will remain obese in their adult years. Obesity is a major problem since it generally increases health risks, such as cardio-vascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, certain types of cancer, arthritic complications, and gout, and hypercholesterolemia. Furthermore, obese children face social difficulties, psychological trauma, and eventual orthopedic problems. Pepsi is a multinational company. It owns Pizza Hut, Kentucky fried chicken, Taco Bell, 7UP, Ocean Spray, Mountain Dew, Hostess, Frito Lay, and more…It sponsors several events such as the Pepsi youth conference. So, it is not by chance that this Pepsi generation is a fat one. Drinking soft drinks is not the only cause of obesity, but lets be remember that a can of soft drink can contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar. According to Dr Pierre Gosselin, from the Quebec National Health Institute, half of the Canadian adult population and a quarter of its younger population is too fat. And the impact of obesity on health could soon rival that of smoking, which kills 40000 Canadians per year. Doctor Jean-Pierre Després, nutrition and cardio-vascular disease prevention professor at the Laval University affirms that we are heading towards a national disaster. And the main culprit is not fat but refined sugar, which is totally useless in our daily nutrition. “The industry knows what to do to incite sugar consumption”. For foods to be tasty, they add sugar. The average American consumes over 60 kilos of sugar yearly. And the more we eat sugar, the more our body craves it. Studies done on laboratory rats have shown that sugar is comparable to a drug. It is difficult to wean off of it. With the help of food chemists, Doctor Paul Thomas, has been treating obesity for over 23 years. He has elaborated an industrial recipe to produce chips that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. A well known supplier has been approached, but marketing problems soon arose. After eating 5 or 6 of those chips, consumers felt full and closed the bag! As you probably know, “Protein decreases appetite and carbohydrates increases it. Thus, the industry is more interested in producing potato chips that are high in carbohydrates and void of protein!” Furthermore, protein costs ten times more to produce than carbohydrates. Hence, the industry produces a potato chip mixture which is high in sugar and fat and leaves the consumer craving for more. Children have always preferred candy over broccoli, but we need to find ways to change those old eating habits. Kids must move, play, be active, and we must ensure that they eat nutritious foods at the right time. Sonia Faggion Sources: Le réseau canadien de la santé. Ça se discute jour après jour : les enfants obèses (dossier). La situation des enfants dans le monde : La malnutrition dans les pays industrialisés. La presse : la pub et la fringale, Le drame des enfants obèses