Right, as someone from a Black Caribbean background, I fully know the implications of Type 2 diabetes throughout my culture. I'm incredibly slim because of a very high metabolism, but for various reasons am fully aware of what I eat and drink.rod taylor wrote:Likelife wrote:Most young people in Sydenham when going for a meal don't think to go to the Italian restaurant, even if it is affordable, because of a perception it's for "proper adults" and maybe families. They (we), go Beckenham or elsewhere for a meal because there isn't a restaurant aimed at the teenage-young adult market here. That's how it's making it (Sydenham) diverse.
Which is precisely the very demographic that shouldn't be eating in Nandos.
If we are focussing on young people; children living in the most deprived communities (and Lewisham is the 48th most deprived borough in the country) are twice as likely to be obese or overweight as those in the least deprived for both age groups measured. 39.3% of children in Year 6 have excess weight (including 24.8% who are obese). Only 44% of adults meet the 5 a day for fruit and vegetables which is lower than the national average.
There are 53,000 obese adults in Lewisham - a rate of 61.2%, however, a concern is that GP Practices in Lewisham are notably under-reporting obesity. But this is a particularly an issue for the 'diverse' demographics you mention Likelife, because a number of black and minority ethnic groups are at higher risk of complications related to obesity such as Type 2 Diabetes.
Nando's food is higher in both calories and sugar than KFC. There are more calories in Nandos chips. Nando's chicken is packed with saturated fat.
So, there you go: calories, sugar, saturated fat. In fact how much is a Nandos in Sydenham going to undermine Lewisham's own strategy to tackle obesity? Well here is a project done in Bonus Pastor Catholic College in Downham - Lewisham's first Sugar Smart Secondary School.
* food technology lessons for Year 7 and 8 students, schemes of work to promote the benefits of healthy choices.
* outside experts to model healthy cooking and menus and develop a buzz around health.
* a healthy schools week.
* student voice and student council – taking on and leading on healthy eating and drinking following their own produced audit and survey.
* use of professional role models to advise on their own experiences.
* display and promotion around the school of healthy foods and drinks.
And you want to undermine all of this, Likelife, for a restaurant 'aimed' at the teenage market - that actually targets children with the very food that is causing them harm?
https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/ ... 6Final.pdf
Obviously, I've grown up around Caribbean eating habits, I fully know the causes of our health problems - it isn't Nando's or Morley's. It's the way we prepare our food (salt via packeted seasonings) and the amount of sugar (in food and drinks) we consume. On average, Caribbean families (if it can be afforded) make home cooked dinners with big portions almost every day and actually look down on the ready meals in supermarkets. A good example is we'd never buy a mac and cheese ready meal - we'll always make it ourselves. Additionally, whilst the Caribbean has a massive abundance of fruit and veg, we literally eat have sugar cane as a treat in the Caribbean. Furthermore, in the Caribbean community, being slim is often not actually looked upon as "desirable".
All of this: too much salt and sugar have caused high blood pressure and diabetes, both in the Caribbean and in the diaspora. No school education is going to change that, simply because in schools they are not teaching Caribbean food. We a very stubborn and proud people. People from outside our culture can't drag us from our food or make us change. The Caribbean community needs to realise, we ourselves, need to buy the ingredients to our seasonings and marinades fresh instead of in packets which have far too much salt in it, which are made by companies that have no Caribbean connections.
This idea that somehow poor black people get takeaways all the time is nonsense. In a Caribbean household if you don't have much money, then go spend £10+ on Nando's you'll never hear the end of it. On the other hand, if you do have money and buy Nando's all the time, you'll still never hear the end of it "why you building up their business when there's food at home". After school, you may very well get the regulars in Morley's but they and the parents know exactly how unhealthy it is. I fully agree that is bad, but they need to take responsibility for their actions instead of saying that Nando's shouldn't open because of a few and it is a few can't eat in moderation.
