Why are children getting fatter?
Put simply, an increase in body fat occurs when the amount of energy (calories) consumed as food and drink, exceeds the energy used during physical activity and other metabolic processes of the body.This is known as positive energy balance.The excess energy is stored principally as fat and each pound of fat stores approximately 3,500 kcal. If children are getting fatter, it is clear that this must be due either to a rise in calorie intake, a decrease in energy expenditure through physical activity, or a combination of both. It is commonly assumed that today’s children consume more “junk” foods than ever before and that this over-consumption is the most important factor in fuelling the current obesity epidemic in children. Furthermore, the press and media have encouraged the widespread belief that food advertising to children has an adverse effect on children’s food preferences and purchasing behaviour.There are, however, compelling arguments to resist both of these claims [13]. Firstly
