The percentage of obesity in kids here in Singapore has remained at about 12% in the past few years. Obesity is the result of an unbalanced diet, with the high consumption of fats. Excessive ingestion of sugar and fat laden food items lead to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnoea and osteoarthritis. It also poses a dental threat if these kids are left to eat sugar-filled products without good dental hygiene habits.
However, entirely restricting the kids’ dietary intake also prove to be harmful. An American research on children ages six to ten years old, found that they burned considerably more fat relative to the amount of energy they used. Therefore, sufficient fat must be included in the diet for children to support normal growth and development. For children aged seven to 10, the recommended fat intake is 76.6g a day for boys, and 67.7g a day for girls.
