I'm not a fan of the nanny state and so reports that Labour MP Andy Burnham is suggesting that supermarkets shouldn't sell sugary cereals to help prevent childhood obesity just seem stupid to me. I'm a parent and throughout my son's childhood he ate one of the following for breaking before going to school, Weetabix with hot milk and a teaspoon of sugar (blame my mum for the introduction of sugar), ReadyBrek, Rice Krispies sans milk with a pot of yoghurt or toast - no surgery breakfast cereals there. Yes he did ask for them and occasionally I would buy Cocoa Pops or chocolate spread but that would happen maybe once every year - I'm a believer in everything in moderation. But the key factor in all of this is as the parent I said no - if he decided not to eat it, I used to take fruit with me on the way to school or bread and jam, and low and behold hunger pangs overwhelmed him and he ate them.
Now I think rather than blaming supermarkets, tv advertising and food manufacturers for obesity, childhood or adult; we should be real. We (society) are overweight because we mainly lead a sedentary life, eat and drink too much and don't engage in enough exercise to ensure we maintain a weight that is ideal. So rather than suggest we shouldn't eat sugary cereals or ban them lets get our children to do more exercise. The Government could better help to reduce obesity by:
1. Subsiding sport for children, swimming lessons, football coaching and clubs, and tennis lessons - all of which I've coughed up for are expensive. I had to say no to cricket not because of cost but with the schedule above it was impossible to fit it in, and even at 4 my son just wasn't interested in gymnastics which he said was for girls.
2. Looking at food costs (supermarkets control of this) the poor weather and general economic situation means food continues to get more and more expensive, and reports are that it's going to get much worse. Reports are that apples alone may go up by 25%, when you can feed a family on a £10 bucket of chicken with fries, fizzy drink and sides and you don't have to cook - some parents will choose this option. I'm not sure how you will change this.
3. Improved food education, the British diet is generally unhealthy lots of carbs - bread, potatoes, fried foods etc. Years ago people wouldn't have been able to eat the abundance of food we have now, they may have had one good meal and snacking was a myth; they also worked hard. Basically we need to eat less - if you child ate a sugary cereal once a week as a treat say Saturday I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem. We also need to consider that it's not just portion sizes that need to be reviewed but some people may actually need cooking classes. And what is the British fascination with chips with everything, chips and lasagne, curry with rice and chips, pizza and chips - carb overloading.
A simplistic look at cereals as the cause of the problem is ridiculous, it's vital that a healthy lifestyle that incorporates exercise and a varied diet is offered to children at school and at home; but if the parents do not have a proper understanding of what this should include then banning cereals won't make a difference.
