Kids in Northern Ireland are risking obesity with their high junk food diets, health experts have warned.
New research shows that up to 25% of under 18’s diets are made up of crisps, chocolate and sweets.
And parents have been told that the onus is on them, with more bad food being eaten outside of school hours.
Health expert, Joana Caldeira Fernandes da Silva, told Belfast Live: "Parents need to lead by example. It puts children at a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese and that’s already an issue on the island of Ireland.
"Overweight or obese children have a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese adults and that is connected to various health conditions from diabetes, to heart disease, to cancer. These are consequences that we will eventually have to pay."
The new research, released today, is part of the START campaign from safefood, the Department of Health and the Public Health Agency.
It shows that the likes of crisps, biscuits, cakes, sweets and chocolate are making up too much of kids’ diets here.
In the afternoons 40% of snacks are junk food, with that figure sitting at 25% in the evenings.
Joana, who works with safefood, said: "Parents need to lead by example. Our research found that afternoons and evenings are worse and junk food could be something between 25 to 40% of a child’s intact in the afternoons and evenings - and that’s when they come back from school.
"We need to talk to our children and include them in making the changes. There will always be good and bad days but it is about being consistent with small changes. There’s an element of these foods being so cheap and so available: They’re available at every supermarket, usually at tills.
"It’s hard to go for petrol and not see the chocolate and the biscuits and the crisps. There’s an element of price and availability.
"With junk food it’s a daily struggle but we will get there."
- To find out more about the START campaign and ways to make a healthy, positive start visit www.makeastart.org .
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