Obese children suffering worrying conditions - Evarist Bartolo

Obese children are suffering from conditions that are usually found in elder people, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said today. 

Speaking on the occasion of ‘World Physiotherapy Day’, Bartolo highlighted that children are becoming obese due to bad nutrition and lack of exercise.

“It is worrying that some children and youths are already experiencing diabetes, heart problems and other conditions. This is mainly caused by flawed lifestyle, with only one in four children exercising regularly. In this context, schools should be part of the solution,” Bartolo said.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sports Stefan Buontempo, said that more awareness should be created on physical education, in order to have a healthy society.

The Malta Association of Physiotherapists, which organised the event together with the Mellieha Local Council and KMS, encouraged the parents to seize the opportunity and support their children to engage in physical activity.

“World Physiotherapy Day is an opportunity for physiotherapists to raise awareness about their profession and this year, we focused on targeting this issue in a family context,” the president of the Malta Association of Physiotherapists said.

The event was planned to offer a sports day to children, while their parents were given a talk by the physiotherapists on nutrition and importance of exercise. The sports day had to be cancelled due to weather conditions.