Best Food Forward

Article by Alycia Dort
September 17th, 2009

Today’s children are “physically illiterate” says Professor Joe MacDonald from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. According to the CIHI (Canadian Institutes of Health Information), four out of five Canadians are not active enough for positive growth and development. Youth in Canada should aim for 90 minutes of physical activity per day, however the average Canadian child spends more than double that time sitting in front of a television or computer, instead. This level of inactivity, however, is only partly to blame. Over 26 per cent of Canadians between the ages of 2 and 17 are overweight, and more than 18 per cent of these are considered clinically obese.
So what is it that is contributing to this obesity epidemic so significantly? “Two things; convenience and ignorance,” says 20 year old Nikki T from Alberta, Saskatchewan. “Most people are unaware of what is considered one portion size. They order a Big Mac meal, not thinking of just how many portions they are actually eating…”
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Even worse, the foods we tend to over-consume are full of saturated fats, preservatives, salts and sugars that our bodies cannot properly digest. And yet it remains far more convenient for us to bring home McDonald’s, or a few frozen dinners. But is this a matter of finances, or convenience alone?
Children who come from low income families are 50 per cent more likely to develop obesity than those who come from high income families. But this doesn’t come as a surprise to high school student, Nadia Richard. “Consider the foods that are being donated to hundreds of these families from food banks. Aside from the odd carton of milk and eggs, the majority of these foods are pre-packaged, bottled, canned, boxed, and processed. Our bodies were not designed to break down these foods, so the fats and sugars are stored as opposed to being burned. It’s the perfect recipe for obesity!”
It’s not only a lowered self-confidence and lack of mobility that our obese population is facing, however. Chronic diseases, such as heart disease and Type 11 diabetes, are looming over this epidemic. Children as young as twelve, who are suffering from obesity, are already showing signs of pre-diabetes, as well as high cholesterol and blood pressure, according to Health Canada.
"Parents need to realize that this is not just a temporary problem; This is an epidemic" says 17 year old Leslie Britt from Fredericton, New Brunswick. "In order to help save these children from a lifetime of pain, these parents must realize that it is them who need to step in. Fitness is not one choice to make, it's a lifestyle. These children need a lifestyle change."


Alycia Dort

Alycia Dort is a freelance writer in Moncton, New Brunswick.