The Worries of Growing up 

cctv.com 04-06-2005 11:26

Children in China, although relatively slim are joining the growing trend throughout the world of first becoming overweight and later in their lives turning obese. Alarming figures are now coming out into the open that obesity is becoming one of the most serious diseases threatening children in China鈥檚 larger cities, especially in the capital, Beijing. But with an abundant supply of ready available food and an ever increasing influence of fast food establishments from the West, Chinese children are spoilt for choice. Sadly the figure for obese children has reached the 10 million mark.

With the current trend being most things Western, especially in the larger cities in China, children are open to an array of different cuisines. But with a lack of time continuously hovering over them, fast food becomes the easier option. And not only are they paying with their wallets, but also with their health. Since 1985 in China, the amount of overweight children has grown 鈥渄ouble鈥鈥渢hree fold鈥etc. with current figures showing 鈥渨hich city鈥as the fattest city in China. It is also displays the fact that it is the richer part of the country, the east, which is having the most problems.

Walking down Beijing鈥檚 small alleys known in Chinese as 鈥榟utongs鈥brings to mind many images of Old China. Neighbours walking from restaurants to shops, children playing out in the street and people cycling back and forth. Everything seems to have been far more relaxed and easygoing and people鈥檚 lifestyles were healthier than nowadays. Riding around on a bicycle myself took me to a time when life was simpler and there were no temptations of high fat food. Transportation was limited to bicycles and buses and obesity was never really a high risk factor.

Although foreign fast food restaurants started the trend in China by opening up KFC鈥檚 and McDonalds of which there are around 1000 and 700 respectively, the Chinese soon clicked on and created their own. Fast food in China is seen as an upscale event even though it鈥檚 a good deal more expensive than 鈥榬eal鈥restaurants! This is quite different to the real purpose for which it was invented however!

In various reports, it鈥檚 been noted that foreign fast foods are indeed harmful to people鈥檚 health and only by the Government limiting the amount of restaurants (on the mainland), can obesity be controlled. But with these establishments offering all kinds of incentives to children including play areas, fictional characters and toys, how is a parent able to convince their child of the unhealthy side to it all?

Although the Western fast food diet plays a large role in Chinese children鈥檚 health today, Chinese fast food cannot be given the all clear for nutritional benefits. Chinese fast food consists of lots of sugar, oil, meat and starch 鈥the four deadly ingredients! But how can one resist when it鈥檚 everywhere you look with its bright and wonderful colours, enticing smells and cheap prices! And of course, when you鈥檙e a child with a few RMB in your pocket, what more could you ask for!?

With new supermarkets sprouting up almost everyday in the capital, Chinese people now have a far greater choice of foods than ever before. Foods from abroad are also steadily creeping into the Chinese market allowing mainlanders to experience a culinary wonder. China, still following its one-child policy established in the late 70s, is gradually beginning to see a downside to this rule. With the majority of families having just one child, be it boy or girl, these children are now considered 鈥榣ittle emperors鈥and 鈥榚mpresses鈥* Almost anything they desire will promptly be bought for them in the hope of not looking like unloving parents. And although they see the result of this so-called love on their children鈥檚 bodies, they still refuse to deprive them of the fatty foods that they really want to eat and the high sugar drinks they want to consume. This leads onto the ugly trend of being spoiled.

Many older Chinese still remember the hunger of the late 1950s and early 60s, when many people suffered from starvation. Today however, children have no memory of hunger, and with Chinese equating food with love, grandparents especially like to give children as much food as possible, not thinking of the dire consequences it could bring on their chubby little emperors.

This young girl can only for as long as she can remember, recall her grandma always cooking for her. Home cooking in her opinion is always the best!

And all I can think about is having three full meals like this everyday. If only all Chinese families cooked sensible meals like this for their children.

With over 13 billion Chinese, getting access to the internet has never been easier. With cheap rates and endless hours on line, children today are experiencing a new world. A world that consists of cyber friends. And it鈥檚 all too easy to become addicted to it 24 hours a day.

Not only is the internet considered a big contributor to children not getting as much exercise as they used to, but the telephone is too! How much easier it is to just ring your friend up and talk, rather than make the effort to go see them. What children don鈥檛 realize is that whilst they鈥檙e talking, they鈥檙e most likely to be snacking on some form of junk food at the same time. This of course, is one of the easiest traps to fall into.

Contrary to the opinion of many parents, experts believe that being fat is NOT healthy, and children who eat a lot and don鈥檛 exercise WILL become ill.

Many parents are extremely busy these days and don鈥檛 always know what their child is doing or eating! And with a plethora of fast food restaurants offered to people in the big cities it鈥檚 often impossible to control what your child eats everyday. So many choices, none of which are very good for your health however are dotted around the cities begging you to come in and try their new products. However, walk into any crowded McDonalds or KFC, and you鈥檒l spot the familiar scene of youngsters stuffing their faces while a parent looks on, often not ordering anything.

Some of the greatest pleasures in life are the ones which damage our body the most! Fast food also takes on the form of ice-cream, chocolate, crisps, sweets and fizzy drinks. These as we鈥檙e all aware of are full of calories and greatly lack anything nutritional. And combined with a lack of outside activities can only result in one way 鈥obesity. In the West, children get fat because there is too much freedom, parents don鈥檛 stop them from eating too much. In China, children have no choice. They are practically force-fed by their parents and grandparents who ambush them with food urging them 鈥淓at more, eat more鈥 Few Chinese parents have the heart to deny an only child. Snacking whilst watching television is fun, but before you know it, you鈥檝e gained a few extra pounds! Another case of munching on fast foods is whilst studying. The workload for a Chinese child is extremely heavy with extra classes at the weekend. They鈥檙e prone to stress and with all the pressure, they binge for comfort.