Fast food can cause hypertension in kids

LUDHIANA: The ideas of a balanced diet seemed to have buried deep into the past. Often, each one of us munches on packaged food, popularly called the junk food.
Nowadays, kids are all the more obsessed to such a living. But these habits may lead to hypertension, obesity, coronary diseases, diabetes, etc. Hospitals across the city have seen patients, some who are just 8 years old, visiting the doctors almost every week.
Doctors have passed the blame on the parents and said children should be barred from consuming fatty foods. A paediatrician at Christian Medical College and Hospital, Gurmeet Kaur, said kids aged 8-16 years often visit her, suffering from ailments relating to excess consumption of junk food.
Another paediatric surgeon William Bhatti said he had received young patients suffering from intestinal problems and constipation.
''Parents should be more careful and must encourage healthy habits,'' the doctor said.
Paediatrician of Apollo Hospital Vikas Bansal said, ''Nearly 20 patients visit every week, suffering from obesity and hypertension. I have even dealt with kids with stones in their gallbladders. Exercise is vital else such people may face serious problems at an early age.''
Principal of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital Daljit Singh said the modern lifestyle has caused a rise in the number of such cases. ''Kids are not willing to give up on these habits. Parents must follow a strict approach,'' Singh said.
shivani.mehra@timesgroup.com