Early signs of heart disease, such as fatty deposits in the arteries, have been discovered in children as young as two. Obesity is beginning to replace malnutrition and infectious diseases as the most significant contributor to ill health worldwide.
Recent research indicates that 11 to 16-year-olds eat on average 133 pre-packaged ready meals and takeaways a year - that's nearly three every week. At the same time, the World Health Organisation is calling for a limit on the consumption of saturated fats, sugar and salt, especially in snacks, processed foods and drinks, often the prime offenders. And - surprise, surprise - the World Sugar Organisation is lobbying hard against this advice and the US government has apparently said it intends to ignore the recommendations.
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