Kids die a decade younger than their parents

A countrywide survey on the lifestyles of children aged between 10 and 14, has revealed that kids are eating too much junk food and too few vegetables, prompting risk of dying a decade younger than their parents.

The survey conducted on more than 1,000 British children has underlined fresh warnings of a threatening obesity epidemic.

The study showed that 62 per cent of the kids did not eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and almost 18 per cent had less than three full portions a day.

About 39 per cent did not have breakfast every day, despite the recommendations that it is the day's most important meal and a quarter had it four times a week or less.

Further, a fifth of children admitted to going without any lunch at least once a week, while 63 per cent had at least one takeaway meal a week with their families, exposing them to high levels of fat, sugar and salt.

The figures also established that the youngsters were at a further risk of obesity as they did not do enough physical exercise or play any sport.

Approximately 17 per cent did not exercise at all, while 48 per cent exercised for less than an hour a day.

The statistics were alarming for Dr David Haslam, clinical director of the National Obesity Forum.

"It's often correctly stated that fast food, or takeaways are 'ok' as an occasional treat, but the kids having at least one takeaway per week are the same kids who have at least one trip to McDonald's a week, and no breakfast or physical activity, so for these kids, the risk stacks up alarmingly," the Telegraph quoted Haslam, as saying.

"These are the kids who will become obese, and lose a decade of life," he added.

Under age boozing also spurred fresh concerns among the campaigners.

The figures revealed that more than 72 per cent of the youngsters had tried alcohol and more than 29 per cent had actually been drunk.

A significant number were regular consumers of drinks like alcopops, cider and lager to brandy and vodka.

However, majority of the children, that is 95 per cent, had not tried cigarettes undermining earlier government figures saying nine per cent of youngsters were regular smokers.