Obesity in Croatia is a growing problem.
The new school year has begun with some of the new and old problems, including the problem of obesity of schoolchildren, which is taking its toll both in Europe and in Croatia, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on September 16, 2015.
“In the Split-Dalmatia County, based on ten years of research during medical examinations of children who start going to school, we can say that about 10 percent of pupils are overweight. The number of obese children is increasing, and we know that the risk that overweight children have in adulthood is double the risk of their peers who are not obese”, says dr. Željka Karin, head of the Department of School and University Medicine at the County Institute for Public Health.
“Studies have shown that one third of fat preschool children and half of fat school-age children become obese adults”, explains dr. Karin, who believes that the schools should provide the students with a nutritionally high quality diet, with good and healthy meals, which is very important in the prevention of obesity in children. “The school is a very suitable place for the implementation of preventive activities since it includes a large number of children who have not yet completed their development and growth, and have not yet acquired bad habits.”
Certainly, in terms of reducing the copious amounts of (mainly unhealthy) food, the main responsibility lies on the families. Parents should provide their children with a balanced diet in accordance with their financial and logistical possibilities, which includes five meals, of which three should be larger meals and two snacks, with a balanced intake of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
“More than 95 percent of the problems with obesity are caused by unfavourable living and eating habits. It is important to educate people, to organize counselling for eating disorders, monitor the growth and development of children through medical check-ups and screenings for school children. It is necessary to reduce the tax on foodstuffs important for healthy growth and development, and to increase it for foods rich in sugars and salt. At least 30 percent of total energy intake comes from sweets, non-alcoholic soft drinks, salty snacks and fast food”, explained dr. Karin.
