Blame technology

“Many people assume that obesity is a result of simply eating too much food, the reality is that our entire lifestyles can contribute to this disease.

New trends: television and computer use is displacing sports and other physical activities as the principal way kids spend their time.” – it’s always easier to blame technology then your self.

Extensive TV viewing carries a double hazard: it exposes young children to countless hours of adverts for soft drinks ('liquid candy') and other energy-dense foods, such as chocolate. Research has shown that TV advertising is all-too effective in programming children into only wishing to eat sugary and energy-rich 'junk' food.

With more and more Irish families having both parents at work (and of course commuting) less time is available for home cooking and for sit-down family meals where young children can pick up healthier eating habits. So the drift is increasing towards take-away foods, often eaten while sitting in front of the TV.”

As recently as twenty years ago, many Irish children either walked or cycled to school. Increased prosperity has led to most families having two cars, with children now usually ferried to and from the school gate. Parents' worries about the safety of their children on busy streets have added to this trend. In a more affluent Ireland, children now have access to pocket money that was simply not available to their counterparts as recently as the 1970s and 1980s. Much of this cash is naturally spent in the local sweet shop.

“Today's parents may be the first generation to bury their own children.”

Why there is no action? First, many people are in denial about their own weight. For example, in the recent major Irish study undertaken by the Food Safety Promotion Board, of the 1,000 adults interviewed, not one described themselves as obese, despite the fact that when assessed, one in eight of them were found to be clinically obese.

“Major lifestyle changes are perhaps even more important than actual food consumption.”

“Bad habits can quickly become engrained. Laziness. To loose weight is effort.”

“Child psychologists are retained by marketing companies to develop imagery for food branding and advertising based on detailed study of children's dreams – in other words, the images that children are being 'sold' are indistinguishable to them from their own subconscious.”

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