Published On:Tuesday, September 22, 2009

By REUBEN SHEARER

Tribune Features Reporter

CHILDREN learn what they live. That's an age-old statement that encompasses many aspects of growing up. There are many values and practices that a parent pours into their child, and healthy eating habits are no exception. However, according to one neuro psychiatrist, parents are dropping the ball when it comes to equipping children with realistic eating habits.

One expert says the answer lies in parents educating themselves with good information on diet and exercise and teaching their children to follow suit. Childhood obesity is on the rise in the Bahamas, Dr Brian Humblestone said at a recent lecture at Doctor's Hospital.

According to Dr Humblestone, there are increased cases of young children and teens developing type 2 diabetes, and eventually obesity, which is normally prevalent in those over 35.

Childhood obesity issues are early signs of illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, gall bladder disease, respiratory problems, asthma and reproductive hormonal problems.

Ironically enough, he added, "one of the manifestations of civilisation is that we have half of the world dying of diseases caused by being overfed, and other parts where people are dying of starvation."

"But it's not just the amount of food people are eating, but the kind of foods as well," Dr Humblestone explained. "If your child is having a muffin or Danish and an orange juice for breakfast, they may feel energised to go to school, but it is very likely they will feel famished, experience a energy crash hours later, and need more carbs."

He said that carb-loaded breakfasts are not the best to start your day with, adding that most cereals do not hold to the health benefits that they claim on television ads.

Cereals are largely loaded with refined carbohydrates, which shoot the blood sugar up, Dr Humblestone explained. Refined carbs cause your blood sugar to rise fast, and a lot of insulin is produced from the pancreas.

The insulin sends the sugar into the blood, which moves into the liver and muscles. When that blood sugar goes down fast as a result of too much insulin, you get hungry. This normally causes a person to want more sugar and thus get hungry again. "That's why a carbohydrate breakfast is not a good breakfast."

Dr Humblestone said fast food restaurants' constant bombardment with advertising needs to be analysed and rejected. "It takes motivation and tenacity, to persist against seduction by the media--which has a major effect on the majority of people who are overeating," Dr Humblestone told Tribune Health. "Food is comfort, and it will always be that way."

However, when you overeat, let alone the wrong foods, physical problems develop. Studies reveal that persons who fall in this category have experienced more headaches, and feel really depressed and exhausted.

"It's not real hard eating junk food all the time, because it taste good, and it makes you feel good at the moment," Dr Humblestone said. "You'll eat some, and just a while later you'll be hungry again."

The problem he says is when there's increased intake of these kinds of junk foods, because there must be a balance of exercise to go along with it.

Finally, Dr Humblestone advises parents to educate themselves about ingredients, so they know what they are feeding their family. For example, he noted that any ingredient ending in "ose" should be avoided, as it represents a high sugar content.

According to the Super Size Me documentary, companies spend billions to make the public aware of their product. They market through T-shirts, coupons, toys for children, and restaurant placemats, and kids are drawn to that.

Mcdonalds spent 1.4 billion dollars worldwide in direct media advertising in 2001. Pepsi spent more than one billion dollars on direct media advertising. To advertise its candy, Hershey's Food spent under a mere $200 million dollars internationally.

However, in its peak year, the five-a-day fruit and vegetable campaign's total advertising budget in all media was just $2 million; 100 times less than the direct media budget of just one candy company.