Comment: Parents have to take action over childhood obesity

May 15 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

IT SEEMS almost incredible that Merseyside children could soon be undergoing stomach stapling operations in a bid to curb their obesity.

Today's story on the worrying increase in the number of very seriously overweight youngsters brings home the message that health chiefs are facing more starkly than any table of figures could.

These procedures are currently only performed on adults when other options have failed and the surgery can often lead to complications, but now Alder Hey's medical director has admitted the scale of the problem is such that they may well be carried out in his hospital within two years.

When toddlers are being classed as obese on admission to hospital, it is time to ask ourselves: Just what are we doing to ourselves and our children?

The dreaded" 'fat" word is rarely mentioned – it is generally parcelled up in health-speak to make the matter sound more clinical. But the fact that their children are getting fatter – to such an extent that they are endangering their health – is surely something that concerns parents.

It would be interesting to know what eating habits these youngsters have and what they are served up at family mealtimes. After all, pasty and chips contains far more calories than a bowl of pasta and tomato sauce, but the latter may take more time to prepare and cook. Some parents may not have time to cook – but others may simply lack the inclination.

Liverpool PCT is so concerned by the region's obesity problem that it has devised a strategy to try and help children slim down. Plans include making schoolchildren do at least two hours of PE a week, giving healthy eating advice to daycare services for children, and increasing the size of the city’s weight management service.

The PCT should be commended for their efforts, although what the real- world benefits will be remain to be seen. The proof of the pudding, as it were, really will be in the eating.