New Delhi: This is a challenge the world has rarely, if ever, faced. There are now millions of children and young adults all over the world, including many in India, who are overweight and have or could have in the future, health problems like diabetes, hypertension and chronic heart disease. A fast food diet is a reasons, and UNICEF, is working with the Indian government and various other organisations towards tackling the problem.
"India has the largest youth and child population in the world. Young people need to know, learn and understand healthy diets, healthy lifestyles. It's a tremendous opportunity to have such a burgeoning youth population.
Healthy lifestyles and healthy diets help prevent non-communicable diseases," Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative told TIMES NOW. If Type-2 diabetes is diet-related, the Type-1 variety is a genetic disorder and with there being more 'reach-out,' more and more cases are being found along with other non-communicable diseases or NCD like sickle cell disease. The NCD week began in mid-October and it was, said McCaffrey, an opportunity to explain what NCDs are, and what can be done about them.
"If you give a child knowledge, if you give the parents knowledge of what a healthy, balanced diet is, and you establish healthy habits, then you can help the child to grow up eating a bit healthier. "There is junk food. It's been growing more and more.
But if you give a child and the parents the right knowledge, then you will be able .