So is the motto of most of the dal-bhat-loving, fast-food-craving, postmodern-foodoholic consumer.
And this same love is being passed on to the younger generation as well. Most people in my family often joke that whether or not the younger generation is left with something in the will, they will most certainly be left with a wide range of diseases linked to over-consumption of the gastronomical delights available to please all sorts of palates.[break]
But jokes apart, obesity is a serious cause for concern, especially among kids, these days. After all, it’s not for nothing that childhood obesity has been labeled one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition estimates that globally 43 million preschool children – that is, under age five – were overweight or obese in 2010. This was a 60% increase since 1990. In Asia alone, excluding Japan, nearly 5% of preschoolers were estimated to be overweight or obese in 2010.
This is quite ironic given that child hunger remains one of the most pressing nutritional concerns for much of Asia. But then again, we can’t really turn a blind eye to child obesity, either.
What makes it more difficult to ignore is the fact that childhood obesity is basically an invitation to chronic diseases: arthritis, diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure, cancers, even stroke.
It does add up to a lethal array of problems. So then what exactly does the word “obese” mean anyway?
The most comprehensible definition of obesity is perhaps that it means having too much body fat. Therefore, the concept is different from the notion of “overweight,” which basically means weighing too much. So if you eat a lot, and do it often at that, and with no exercise routine of any kind guiding you, it’s likely you may be on the path to obesity.
But we Nepalis know only too well that eating a lot, and doing it very often, is sadly one the most desirable social traits in our culture. If you’ve been invited over to somebody’s house, for example, then one of the ways to make your hosts happy and reassure them that they are indeed great cooks is by eating like you hadn’t eaten for days. I mean all that importance and attention placed on you is nice and flattering, but why do we have to put our health at risks to please someone else?
This dilemma is one that most people have undergone as children too. I’m sure most of us have realized as kids that where we would be happy with a new toy or an extra amount of pocket money, parents would be happy watching us eat. In fact, they would make a fuss if we didn’t eat more. To overeat was okay but to eat less - no, no!
I think that it’s precisely such a value that reinforces in a kid that to overeat is good. And what with the technological advances in today’s worlds, why go play outside when you can play in the comfort of you house with your Wii? So you give a child tons of food –thanks to all that love! – and then take away the exercise, then they add up to become mere statistics: More than 40 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2010, according to the WHO.
Sure, it’s the love and the care and the concerns that lead you to ensure that your growing child gets the right amount of nutrition in his growing body.
But sometimes, love, care and concern can also come from saying no. And as a little reinforcement, let me share with you that 65% of the world’s population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than being underweight does. Moreover, overweight and obesity are the fifth leading risk for global deaths.
So take a step forward, and with a strong resolve and commitment, say No. After all, it’s better to control your child’s food habits now than to have his food habits dictate the rest of his life.
The writer is student of Political Science at Thammasat University.
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