Child Obesity, Ignored Pandemics'. This is the name of the documentary produced by TBS y la Gasol Foundation that opens today (22.00 h) in Movistar Plus+. Childhood obesity, pandemic, ignorance. Four terrifying words that give meaning to the awareness activity of the foundation that preside over basketball legends Pau and Marc Gasol To promote healthy habits and try to mitigate this global problem that, for example, will throw a fatal outcome in 2030: There will be more obese children than malnourished worldwide. Not only that, in this risk dynamic the current generation of children will live less than their parents and being technological natives the abuse of screens will cause their parents to be less intelligent than their parents. It is time to involve administrations in general and help families, in particular, in search of a healthier education. Of all this, we talk to Pau Gasol.
- Despite the enormous efforts to make visible the problem in charge of Gasol Foundation and other organizations, why is there so much ignorance about this problem?
- This problem comes long, they are environments that have been created in this society and in the world that we call as unhealthy, 'obesogenic' environments. There is a very important inequality factor, which is a problem that affects families in a state of vulnerability. The problem is complex and difficult because there are many factors that affect it. Parents have some confidence that those things they have access are not bad for their sons and daughters. Nor do they have all the information and are overwhelmed by their own lives. For the vast majority of fathers and mothers they do not know the effect that this misinformation of their children has. That is why in the documentary we rely much on scientific evidence, we try to make teams with institutions, with the public sector, with the private sector, to make a joint effort and empower families with few resources to focus on what they can do, what is in their hand.
It is urgent to do something already, our mission is to put this matter on the table and work to improve this situation
- Pau, why is it so expensive to eat well?
- Fresh products have a high cost. It is an upward trend. Ultraprocessed products are more affordable and that makes them consume in mass and harmful for boys and girls. We are in conversations with the Ministry of Health and Consumption to see how we can create these environments and that there is more accessibility to those healthy products. Let's see, not everything healthy is expensive. We want to spread the consumption of affordable and nutritious foods for health.
- Why do you think there is interest that there is silence around the problem of childhood obesity?
- The environment that has been created and the reality that we live has generated a benefit for certain sectors. The inertia we have is not easy to reverse. There are so many things that influence this problem, it is difficult to stop it. Part of our mission is to put the matter on the table, talk about this reality that affects us, which continues to get worse. Let's do something. It is urgent. And we have to involve the government, which is involved, I have to say. We will get to work decidedly to improve this situation.
The promotional poster of the documentary that Movistar Plus+ will issue
- There is an educational component that we should address, that is, should there be a subject on nutrition, screens consumption, healthy habits?
- I think so, it is something relevant and would help. But we want to create healthy environments in its entirety. That is, everything that the girl and the boy are exposed in the school is healthy. That a subject in terms of health would help to educate, without a doubt, but it is also necessary to have healthy meals, with their own cuisine, that school environments are safe, and educational centers where the practice of sports and physical activity is encouraged.
- In the documentary, Marc tells his example and seems very relevant to me and is great. What did Pau change some habits that were not quite right?
- All in our youth we grow by drinking sugary drinks. It is something very sweet that we have all done. Then you advance in life and stop doing. Can you take a sip of anything? Yes, but you have to manage many things, for example energy drinks, which instead are very promoted. We have to make an impact on restricting products that through marketing and advertising reach children very easily.
Pau Gasol, at a time of the interview with Marca.
All in our youth have consumed sugary drinks, then you advance and stop doing so; We are seeing how energy drinks are very promoted …
- Why don't we announce broccoli, carrots, legume?
- In the documentary you can see that there are images of products with a very aggressive advertising visually and yet a pear or a asparagus or a carrot does not attract your attention. We have to get children to get those products. We have to promote advertising so that there are more access to these fresh and healthy products. At the ministerial or governmental level it could be seen.
