The Kerala High Court, while hearing a pornography-related case last week, underlined the significance of home-cooked meals for children. The court urged parents to refrain from ordering food via online platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato.
The case involved a man apprehended for watching porn in public. The court dismissed the charges, stating that viewing pornography privately without distribution or exhibition does not constitute an offence under Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code.
Justice PV Kunhikrishnan encouraged parents to urge their children to engage in outdoor activities and enjoy home-cooked meals instead of ordering food through mobile apps.
“Instead of purchasing food from restaurants through ‘Swiggy’ and ‘Zomato’, let the children taste the delicious food made by their mother and let the children play on playgrounds at that time and come back home to the mesmerizing smell of mother’s food,” the Kerala High Court said.Gastroenterologists and paediatricians about how food ordered from outside could stunt the growth and development of your child.
Dr Lavenya R Padmanaban, Consultant, Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Marathahalli, Bangalore said that it is high time we examined the negative effects of this evolving culture of takeaways.
“First of all, the quantity of food is generally large, leading to overeating and unnecessary weight gain. Many food items are high in sugar. Many substances like colouring agents, flavourings, emulsifiers, refined sugar and preservatives added to food make it look, smell and taste better,” said Dr Lavenya Padmanaban.
When we eat these foods regularly, it can contribute to a range of health issues, including dental problems, stomach inflammation, constipation, obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, unhealthy cholesterol levels, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease and even an increased risk of certain types of cancer.
Additionally, there are concerns about some of the plastic materials used in food packaging. These materials could disrupt our hormonal balance and lead to further health complications.
“The gut and intestinal health is affected by eating frequently ordered from outside because the spices and preservatives replace the healthy bacteria present in the gut. They destroy the gut’s microbiota and that can lead to acute and chronic problems like diarrhoea and dysentery,”
“The emotional aspects related to food and feeding behaviour are changing and there seems to be some kind of addiction developing towards ordering food,” she said.
Besides, home-cooked food “not only teaches children healthy eating habits but also sparks their interest in food, while also providing an opportunity for family bonding,” underscored.
