Growing movement to tackle weighty issue

Manama: Ali rapidly scans the big square for familiar faces. It is five o'clock in the morning and the square is quickly filling up with young people doing exercises.

Dozens of people flock to Qudhaibya Square every morning shortly after sunrise to exercise before they drive to their offices where they will remain stuck for hours, seated in front of their computers without doing anything physically challenging.

The modern way of living seems to encourage this sedentary lifestyle.

For Ali, jogging is his way of dealing with office stress and keeping in shape, particularly in a culture where idleness and eating junk food have become the norm.

Obesity

With the alarming rise in the number of people suffering from obesity or diabetes in Bahrain, alarm bells have been ringing, with schools in particular being singled out for action.

Concerned civil society groups are urging parents to encourage young students to avoid buying junk food and develop healthy eating habits.

"With Bahrain's students getting fatter, families should appreciate that they need to play a greater role in guiding their children towards healthy food," said Hafedh Abdul Gaffar, a journalist.

"Schools should be stricter about the eating habits of their students too, because it is there that they reinforce negative tendencies in their approach to food," he said.

Jasem Al Harban, head of student services at the Ministry of Education, said there are regular inspections at school cafeterias to ensure they comply with health ministry standards and that the food is safe and does not present any danger to students.

"We always take part alongside the Health Ministry in campaigns to make students aware of the importance of healthy and safe food," he said.

But for Mohammad Yassine, a student in his final year at a high school, periodic campaigns are not enough to address the issue.

"We need clear legislation that states that unhealthy food should not be made available at or near schools, and that restricts advertisements praising unhealthy food.

"Only laws that can be enforced can help curb the sale of junk food in schools," he said.

With the mushrooming of fast food outlets in the country and across the region, the legislators' task will be a big challenge indeed.