04 Sep Cause of ‘obesity crisis’ in East of England revealed
A major charity initiative between Diabetes UK, the British Heart Foundation and Tesco has discovered that snacking habits in the East of England are risking families’ long term health.
A survey commissioned by the National Charity Partnership, a partnership between the three organisations, found that nearly two fifths of all adults worry about the extra calories their families consume through unhealthy snacks, yet a third never actively choose nibbles that are low in fat and sugar.
In fact despite nearly two fifths of adults worrying about snacking habits, nearly half of parents are still regularly offering biscuits or crisps as snacks for their children either alongside or in between meals.
Katherine Hale, Prevention Programme Manager for the National Charity Partnership, said: “Eating foods high in fat and sugar on a regular basis can contribute to increased calorie consumption – which can then increase the likelihood of being overweight. It’s particularly concerning that crisps and biscuits are still popular snacks for children because the food habits we learn at a young age can become ingrained and stay with us into adulthood.
