Künast: Being overweight puts a strain on the soul

The number of overweight children continues to rise

"We have to reverse the trend when it comes to eating and drinking. Too much energy intake is offset by too little energy consumption through physical activity," said Federal Consumer Minister Renate Künast. As a result, children and adolescents who are overweight often have mental problems, are less fit, feel left out (e.g. in physical education) and could develop certain diseases, such as type II diabetes, due to their diet. "It's not about banning the so-called petty sins. But the numbers we have are alarming," explained Künast.

The first results of a study in northern Germany (Kiel Obesity Prevention Study KOPS) show that 23 percent of the 5- to 7-year-olds examined and even 42 percent of the 10- to 11-year-olds are overweight. A hypothesis put forward at the beginning of the study that the frequency of obesity in children and adolescents increased during the observation period - namely from 22 percent in 5- to 7-year-old children to 27 percent in 10- to 11-year-olds and 35 percent in 13- to 14-year-olds - was far exceeded for 10- to 11-year-olds. Here the values ​​have almost doubled, to 42 percent! 87 percent of the 6- to 7-year-old obese children were found to remain obese during the follow-up period.

Mit der am 25. Juni gegründeten"Plattform für Bewegung und Ernährung", in der sich unterschiedliche gesellschaftliche Akteure für die Prävention von Übergewicht und Adipositas engagieren, soll das Problem nun intensiv bearbeitet werden. Die Gründung der Plattform folgt der von der WHO zur Bekämpfung des Übergewichts geforderten Strategie, alle gesellschaftlichen Gruppen zur Lösung der komplexen Aufgaben an einen Tisch zu holen.

Source: Berlin [bmvel]