Beat Childhood Obesity by Serving Food in Smaller Plates: Health Officials

Serving food in smaller plates for children can help reduce incidences of obesity and related conditions, say British researchers.

Recent statistics by the health officials at the Public Health England found almost one-third of 11-year-olds in the country suffered from obesity and were at risk of developing serious illnesses due to lack of exercise and proper eating. The experts, therefore, suggest parents and care-givers serve meals in small portions to avert the possibility of overeating sugary and high caloric snacks.

Many children tend to over-eat fatty food served along with meals and parents rarely instruct them to finish their plate before binging on more food. The agency has also drafted a policy to improve public health urging manufacturers of aerated drinks to limit sugar content and parents to refrain from smoking in the presence of their children. In addition, the reports stresses on imposing an alcohol pricing system and shutting down pubs and stores if they threaten health and well -being of people, reports the Telegraph.

The PHE's findings on obesity-related conditions predict that by 2034 the number of people affected with type-2 diabetes in U.K. will shoot up to 6.2 million.

"We know that the fatter you are, the more likely you are to get diabetes. The numbers are staggering. I remember in my class there was one very overweight child," said Duncan Selbie, the head of Public Health England, reports the Telegraph.

"I think that many of us would recognise that if you watch snakes of children on the underground you can see the weight change that has happened," he adds.

The officials warn that country would be plagued with ailments like heart diseases, stroke, hypertension, cancer and diabetes in the next few years if children are not made to realize the repercussions of over-indulging in unhealthy food.