Children are increasingly suffering from obesity and health related issues.

Globally, over 220 million children aged five to 18 are obese, with South Africa seeing one in five children under 13 affected – twice the global average.

Healthy Living Alliance’s Simphiwe Masilo says this raises serious concerns about the influence of major food corporations on people’s diets.

“Major food cooperation is definitely one of the biggest factors contributing to child obesity, especially in SA. If you look at how they market their food to parents and children, it is a huge contributing factor. The misleading labels that are at the back of the packaging are part of what Maxi Cooperation are using to lie to us. For example, by having your cereal boxes that have your cartoons and nutritional information that says, This is the way you need to sustain yourself for the rest of the day, which is lies.”

--SABC--