Quarter of Taiwan Kids are Fat or Obese

Obesity rates among Taiwanese children now rival those in the United States with a quarter classed as overweight or morbidly fat, a doctor said Sunday after compiling island-wide figures.

The number of children in Taiwan classed as overweight or obese has surged from six percent a decade ago to 25 percent, not far off US levels of about one-third, said doctor Chu Nian-feng of Shuang Ho Hospital near Taipei.

Height and Weight for Children
The height and weight calculator is a useful tool to ascertain the ideal height and weight of the children according to age and gender.

After amassing health data from across Taiwan, Chu told AFP that as in the West, junk food, sugary drinks and lack of exercise were all to blame.

But Taiwan's academic culture was also a factor with pushy parents keeping their children glued to school books rather than letting them play.

"Ten or 20 years ago, Taiwanese children took in 400-500 calories a meal, but now many kids eat 1,000 or even up to 2,000 calories a meal," said the doctor, whose hospital is part of the Taipei Medical University.

Body Mass Index
The BMI calculator helps you assess your weight indicating if it is normal or if you are underweight or overweight, based on your height.

"And they watch TV, play video games and computers. In such circumstances, how can they not become overweight?"

Overweight or obese children have a far higher risk of developing cardiovascular disorders later in life, Chu noted.

Quiz on Obesity

“We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are”. - Adelle Davis

There are thousands out there battling ‘the bulge’. With childhood obesity on the rise even children are not spared. If your weight issues are threatening to weigh you down learn more about obesity by taking part in this quiz.

Source-AFP
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