Obesity in children is on the rise, and we as a society must be concerned. This statement comes from cardiologist Dr Alfred Sparman, who is concerned about the island’s struggle with non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
“What concerns me is that we have we are adopting the Western lifestyle,” Sparman said. “We eat like them, but people here in the Caribbean are more at risk for developing certain diseases so that would make our situation worse.”
Last September Prime Minister Freundel Stuart while addressing the United Nations revealed that the Caribbean was one of the regions worst hit by the non-communicable diseases. Speaking specifically about Barbados, he said, “Rising rates of obesity, poor nutrition, low levels of physical activity, and other risk factors associated with a cultural shift in our lifestyle are projected to contribute to the increase in the incidence of NCDs to one in every three individuals by 2025.”
The NCDs, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and chronic lung disease, cause 63 percent of all the world’s deaths, with the modifiable risk factors including tobacco, alcohol and lack of exercise as well as unhealthy food products.
Sparman says that a host of factors are influencing this shift in lifestyle leading to adolescent obesity.
“When we were younger we played games like hopscotch. We’d run around and play catch and were generally very active,” the doctor said. “Today’s young people sit in front of a computer on Facebook, play video games and when they get up, they go to the refrigerator, where they get a high-calorie snack. No one has the interest in playing cricket, football and climbing trees.”
Because of the rise in childhood obesity and the health risks this poses for the country and future generations, Sparman feels this should be tackled on a national level.
“We have to make sure that children in schools eat low-calorie and high fibre diets,” he said. “We have to get them accustomed to eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Kids prefer to eat the cake, biscuits and candy foods that are high in calories and non-nutritious. If we start kids eating right from young they will eat what you give them and start to like it.”
The rising incidence of obesity also brings greater problems when these children become adults.
“Obesity brings diabetes, brings high cholesterol and heart disease,” said Sparman. “We will also have a higher incidence of heart attacks per day.”
Sparman also challenges parents to be more proactive when they are planning meals for their children.
“Instead of parents giving them fattening snacks like ice cream and cookies, we need to put fruit and vegetables,” he said. “Parents can just tell kids to go exercise. It has to be a family affair. There’s nothing that binds a family together like mum and dad and children going for walks in the morning or afternoon.”
