'Obesity down to parents'

'Obesity down to parents'

By Ian Lloyd

Parents are to blame for an epidemic of child obesity caused by poor eating
habits and a lack of exercise, according to a Brookmans Park natural health
specialist.

Caroline Mansfield, who runs the Naturopathic Clinic, in Bradmore Green,
this week urged parents to consider the dangers of feeding their children
junk food that contains too much fat, salt and sugar.

"Parents place great importance on their children's mental education but
they consistently fall short where their offspring's physical education is
concerned," she said.

"Children now spend many hours each week in front of televisions and
computer screens, either studying or playing games, while their over-worked
parents serve them up ready-made convenience meals from the supermarket or
fast food snacks like burgers, pizzas, crisps and fizzy drinks Ñ and all of
them heavily-laden with salt, fat and sugar."

She was speaking following last week's warning from Sir John Krebs, the
chairman of the Food Standards Agency, that obesity is a Ôticking timebomb'
that could mean children growing up today will have shorter lives than
their parents.

Life expectancy in Britain has doubled in the past 140 years, thanks to
better health care and working conditions. Men can now expect to live up to
an average of 75.3 and women to just over 80.

However, obesity now affects 21 per cent of men and 23 per cent of women in
the UK. In addition, 46 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women are
overweight.

"There is a vital need for parents to do something now before it's too
late. It's not just about physical exercise. Their children must change
their eating habits so that they put nutritional food in their bodies every
day," said Mrs Mansfield, who uses natural supplements to treat patients
who suffer from obesity.

Mrs Mansfield has organised free, hour-long seminars at the Brookmans Park
Hotel, Bradmore Green, on Saturday (November 22) for concerned parents. She
has devised a programme to deal with children's specific complaints which
includes consultations, measuring body fat, blood analysis, nutritional
food planning, label reading education and tips on breaking habits. For
more details, call the clinic on 01707 655650.

4:17pm Monday 17th November 2003


-- Steve
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Steve Chaney

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