The govt must step up efforts to monitor levels of childhood obesity

    Updated: 2016-02-17 08:10

    By Peter Liang(HK Edition)

      Print Mail Large Medium  Small 分享按鈕 0

    While the government is preoccupied with the challenges posed by a rapidly aging population, it seems to overlook the issue of childhood obesity. The latest study on the problem was done in 2012. Although the results of that study showed a slight drop in the rate of childhood obesity from before, they did not indicate an established trend.

    To be sure, many parents in Hong Kong are aware of the health issues caused by consumption of fast foods and soft drinks. But many children have turned to the consumption of various so-called "health" drinks - not knowing they can be just as bad. Studies in several overseas countries have shown that drinks that are pumped full of Vitamin C and other supposedly healthy elements have high levels of sugar.

    The problems arising from a rapidly aging society are real. This is all the more reason why Hong Kong should spare more efforts in improving the health and productivity of the next generation - who will be entrusted with the burden to care for the swelling ranks of retirees. In doing so, it is important that the young workers are healthy enough so that they will not add pressure on the already escalating healthcare costs.

    The governments of some developed economies have set specific guidelines on the sugar content of a wide range of processed foods and beverages. It has been reported that some beverage manufacturers and food processors have been dumping products that exceed the stringent guidelines on less-developed economies, causing havoc to the health of children there.

    In Mexico, for instance, the per capita consumption of carbonated drinks is higher than that of any other country, resulting in the world's highest rates of childhood obesity. This forced the Mexican government to introduce a tax on sugary drinks two years ago. According to a BBC report, a study by Mexico's National Institute of Public Health together with a US university showed that in the first year the tax reduced consumption of sugary drinks by an average of 6 percent. In the poorest households, monthly purchases of sweet drinks fell by 17 percent in the same period, the report said.

    Before the problem of childhood obesity gets out of hand as it did in Mexico, it is necessary for the Hong Kong government to do a fresh study to ascertain whether there is a need to introduce a similar tax.

    (HK Edition 02/17/2016 page7)

    亚洲av永久无码精品古装片| 亚洲爆乳精品无码一区二区| 国产午夜无码专区喷水| 亚洲中文字幕无码一去台湾| 国产高新无码在线观看| 亚洲色中文字幕无码AV| 人妻AV中文字幕一区二区三区| 国产精品无码午夜福利| 国产成人无码一二三区视频| 中文字幕精品无码一区二区三区| 久久人妻少妇嫩草AV无码专区| 熟妇人妻系列aⅴ无码专区友真希| 日本中文字幕一区二区有码在线| 国产乱子伦精品无码码专区| 亚洲AV无码精品色午夜在线观看| 精品久久久久久久久久中文字幕| 人妻少妇精品无码专区动漫| 日日麻批免费40分钟无码| 国产成人综合日韩精品无码不卡| 最近免费中文字幕高清大全 | 亚洲av中文无码| 久久Av无码精品人妻系列| 亚洲AV无码国产精品色午友在线| 精品无码一区二区三区爱欲九九 | 熟妇人妻系列aⅴ无码专区友真希| 中文字幕在线看视频一区二区三区| 中文字幕网伦射乱中文| 亚洲AV无码一区二区一二区| 99精品人妻无码专区在线视频区 | 人妻少妇精品无码专区二区| 韩日美无码精品无码| 日韩乱码人妻无码系列中文字幕 | 东京热无码av一区二区| 亚洲AV无码成人精品区天堂| 曰韩人妻无码一区二区三区综合部| 中文字幕精品无码一区二区| 久久久久亚洲AV无码观看| 无码福利一区二区三区| 国产在线无码精品电影网| 亚洲2022国产成人精品无码区| 亚洲AV无码一区东京热|