Singapore - A fast-food "epidemic" has taken hold of Singapore`s young, with nine in 10 adolescents eating at Western restaurants, a survey said.
Three quarters of the 265 students queried opt for the fast-food establishments at least once a week.
"They go for taste, appeal and convenience, but they`re missing out on important information - what they are actually eating and whether it`s good for them," The Straits Times quoted Professor Chin Ming-kai, at the National Institute of Education (NIE), as saying.
"They are not learning how unhealthy and unbalanced these fat-laden fast foods are", Chin said, maintaining a "fast-food epidemic" is sweeping the city-state.
The problem is not one peculiar to Singapore, he said, noting the phenomenon is found across Asia.
The youths base their food choices on three factors: taste, appeal and convenience, according to the survey of those aged between 12 and 19.
Source: www.smh.com.au (16 November 2007)
