(Trinidad Express) – A frightening situation has developed where the children of this country are becoming more obese than the children in the United States, says Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan.
A study published by the University of the West Indies (UWI) on overweight children showed findings of a high risk of development of diabetes and hypertension among our younger ones.
Additional studies by the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee showed high rates of obesity throughout the island.
Speaking to the Express by phone, Khan said that the study focused on children in rural areas and the figures would be frightening when one examines the statistics of child obesity in urban areas.
He said his ministry will be collaborating with the Education Ministry with the aim of changing the meals distributed to pupils in the school feeding programme.
He added that tackling child obesity was a difficult task as the full support of parents is needed.
Khan said the expanding fast food industry and in particular the use of chemicals in these foods to make them addictive was one of the problems.
“These children end up with empty calories being put on as fat and you find it a lot in the fast food industry. It’s an epidemic, that’s they the World Health Organisation has taken a firm approach on this,” said Khan.
The issue was raised at the regional Paediatric conference — The Bridge — From Infancy to Adulthood at the Trinidad Hilton, St Ann’s on Sunday.
Dr Anjanie Sharma delivered the address on Khan’s behalf where she spoke of the alarming obesity rate of children in this country.
She noted that last week, the Trinidad and Tobago Health Sciences Initiative hosted a symposium featuring the research done through their Diabetes Outreach Programme in this country.
“What they have brought to the forefront really hit home when it comes to childhood obesity. I am not exaggerating when I say that obesity among children is an epidemic in Trinidad and Tobago. Our children are tipping the scales in the unhealthiest way, making them some of the most obese in the world,” said Sharma.
She noted the studies by UWI the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute and the Trinidad and Tobago.
