Fast food TV commercials linked to obesity

Exposure to television advertising on fast-food is linked with obesity in young people

A new study in the United States revealed that people who are frequently watching TV commercials of fast-food brands may have eating patterns that include many types of high-calorie foods. In addition, they may be especially sensitive to visual cues to eat while watching television.

It seems, TV commercials on fast-food restaurants are to blame for childhood obesity. Not only eating a lot of hamburgers, fried chicken or fish, onions and french fries increases the risk of obesity, but only watching the television advertising on such is linked with obesity in young people.

Obesity on the rise in UAE school children

Smoking or tobacco use among school children in the UAE starts at an early age, while risk-taking behaviour of the youth have also reached alarming levels, according to the recently released Global School Health Survey (GSHS). The survey results were presented at the 8th two-day AGCC School Health meeting held in Dubai on February 26.

According to the survey carried out in the UAE from March 19, 2005 to April 30, 2005, and released earlier this year, “During the past 30 days, 9.3 per cent of students smoked cigarettes and 10.7 per cent used one other form of tobacco on one or more days. Boys were found to be significantly more likely than girl students to smoke or use tobacco in any form.”