It’s astonishing and sad to see the rapid rise in the number of obese children. There are some medical conditions, like Hypothyroidism or some other Genetic condition, which obviously should be ruled out but, mostly it’s due to overfeeding / overeating. Kids don’t shop at superstores (unless you pay them to shop). It’s the parents who buy all the sugary food and drinks. Many are not aware that fruit juices are full of sugar (more than cola) and so are crisps and biscuits.
It’s not easy to find Sugar-free Fizzy drinks in India, but in UK/US, there is no excuse. Opinion vary, but most of the sugar free drinks contain Aspartame (http://www.aspartame-information.co.uk/), which is approved by FDA to be safe.
I am Indian, and am sure everyone will agree that we are obsessed about feeding our children (till they are 50). Most mums perceive their children to be very ‘weak’, though when I plot them on a growth chart, they beat even Caucasians on the weight curve ! So, please stop overfeeding them. They were not designed to be huge like Arnold Schwarzenegger, and will never be. If you feed them too much, they will develop Diabetes and high blood pressure, and will end up getting a ‘Coronary Bypass’, even before getting to 50 (And definitely a pot belly, as a trademark of a ‘prosperous’ family). No offence intended!!