Parents fail to encourage healthy eating habits

PARENTS are failing to encourage children to adopt healthy eating habits even when they know their diet is to blame for childhood obesity, research shows.

While six out of 10 people said diet was to blame for childhood obesity, only one in five said they would discourage children from eating certain convenience foods and snacks.

The survey undertaken by the Food Safety Promotions Board (FSPB) in January also found 25% of 2,000 respondents blamed a sedentary lifestyle for the increasing number of children becoming overweight.

“I am surprised that people would say diet is to blame, but do nothing to discourage children from eating foods with a high fat content. It is almost as if they are saying it’s somebody else’s problem, not theirs,” said Barney Whelan, the board’s director of marketing and communications.

Asked how they would tackle the childhood obesity problem, 37% said they would actively encourage children to become involved in sport and exercise, while 29% called for better education on nutrition. A recent Food Safety Authority study found 88% of those questioned agreed parents were directly responsible for the quality of their children’s diet.

The Broadcasting Commission is developing a code of conduct for the advertising industry in relation to advertising specifically targeted at children.

The FSPB, however, found only 8% of those questioned in the Republic said they would look for an advertising ban on certain foods targeted at children.Mr Whelan, who presented the board’s survey findings at a conference held by IBEC’s Food and Drink sector in Dublin yesterday, said he was surprised childhood obesity rated so low in their consumer survey.

The board found childhood obesity was ranked tenth as an issue of concern, deemed less of a worry than food safety, drug abuse, heart disease, nuclear waste, alcohol abuse and smoking.

IBEC’s Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII) welcomed the research as the food and drink industry was not identified by consumers as being responsible for reducing the incidence of obesity among children.

Meanwhile, the decision by McDonald’s fastfood chain outlets in the US to get rid of its super-sized meals was welcomed by Dáil health committee chairman Batt O’Keeffe, who called on Irish outlets to take the same action.

McDonald’s has started phasing out its trademark Supersize chips and drinks in its US restaurants to give customers choices that support a balanced lifestyle.

A spokesman confirmed, by the end of 2004, super size will no longer be available at Ireland’s 13,000-plus McDonald’s outlets, except in certain promotions.