New Delhi: Advertisements luring kids to
munch on junk food are one of the biggest reasons behind
obesity among children, who also consider it a fashion
statement to be at "happening" food joints, a survey has
found.
According to the survey conducted by Diabetes
Foundation of India, 68 per cent children in the age category
of 14-17 said they go for junk food because of appealing
advertisement campaigns, 32 per cent said fast food joints
were a happening place and 25 per cent of them said it was
just fashionable.
"Childhood obesity in India can be attributed towards
mushrooming of Mcdonalisation and Pizza Hutting. McDonald's,
has grown into 160 outlet chains in the last 13 years of its
presence in the country while Pizza Hut has spread to 139
locations since 1996 and Domino's pizza chain today boasts of
220 outlets since its beginning in the year 1995," Dr Anoop
Misra Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Fortis
Hospital said here today.
McDonald's serves 13,000 customers in India every
minute, he said giving statistics of the giant American fast
food chain's reach.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, July 31, 2009, 21:08