Poor diet, lack of exercise showing in children
Children in Greece are showing all the signs of poor food choices and a lack of exercise, with high blood pressure and pre-diabetic symptoms, a study by Harokopio University has shown.
Titled “Healthy Growth” and conducted on children aged 9 to 13 across the country, the study found that 28 percent of subjects were resistant to insulin, 21-24 percent had high blood pressure, 13 percent had high cholesterol levels in their blood and 9 percent had elevated triglycerides.
Experts say that drugs are not the cure for such symptoms, urging parents to improve their children’s diets and ensure that they are getting plenty of exercise. However, according to earlier Harokopio studies, 88 percent of parents of obese children aged 5-6 years old underestimate their child’s condition.
“Parents prefer to think that it’s a sign of health or that their child will grow out of it,” says Harokopio professor Yiannis Manios.
