Food lights Too many big kids?

Health: Food traffic: Too many fat children?

The Head of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at the Ernst von Bergmann Klinikum Potsdam and President of the German Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ), Prof. Dr. med. med. Michael Radke, has spoken to the news agency dpa of a frightening increase in child obesity and again for the introduction of a food traffic lights pronounced.

According to Radke, the obesity rate in Germany is now 15 percent and thus in the European Union (EU) occupy the top rank. He warns at the same time to the beginning of the largest children's and youth doctors congress in Potsdam with 3000 participants from Germany and abroad, In his view, too many sweets, fast food, soft drinks and little activity with physical activity are the cause.

Radke is considered a specialist in nutritional disorders in childhood and adolescence and points out that there may be in the course of obesity to motor disorders and diseases such as type 2 diabetes and mental health problems.

As a solution, he calls for the introduction of a food traffic light and school dinners and at the same time accuses the policy of failure in the practical implementation. At school, in his opinion, the supply of sweets and sugary drinks should be limited.

According to media reports, there are a number of paediatricians, parents and parent associations, as well as child and youth organizations that have long been calling for the introduction of the food traffic lights. However, scientific evidence does not appear to prove any positive effect of this food labeling. A study carried out 2 years ago by the Professor of Nutrition and Health Psychology and member of the Scientific Presidium of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) Joachim Westenhöfer of the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences on Nutrition Labeling could prove no change in eating behavior by the markings.

The book author and graduate nutritionist Uwe Knop goes in his book „Hunger and desire“ even assuming that mind-shaping food intake, especially in childhood, means that it no longer absorbs the food that is required and required by the organism. The reduction of the body feeling could lead to his theses rather to later eating disorders. (Tf)

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Promote diets eating disorders?

Picture credits: Sigrid Rossmann