The Turkish Kidney Foundation has initiated a new project to raise awareness on obesity among children on the occasion of the World Kidney Day.

The project, called the Obese Market, will operate online and count the calories of the shoppers as they add new products to the shopping cart. The cart will show not the price but the calories of the products as well as their salt and sugar content. The Obese Market aims to show people that you cannot put a price tag on health and teach people the importance of a healthy diet.

Obesity is the main reason for many diseases, especially ones related to kidneys. In Turkey, 60 percent of obese patients are between the ages of 0 and 18. Due to unhealthy diets, the number of young people suffering from obesity is increasing rapidly.

Speaking during the opening of the Obese Market, President of the Turkish Kidney Foundation Timur Erk said child obesity is one of the biggest health problems Turkey is facing. "Children living in big cities are drawn to junk food and skip a meal with a high-calorie food instead of a proper and healthy meal. Unfortunately, we have disrupted children's dietary habits and it is time to reverse that. High-calorie junk food not only causes obesity but also disarms the immune system. With the Obese Market, we want to raise awareness among children and adults alike and show them how much sugar and salt their favorite junk food contains," he added.

Erk said that their goal was not to stop children from purchasing junk food, but rather to teach them about the hazards it can to pose to their health.

ISTANBUL / İHA