A new health report has revealed that there is a big difference in the share of overweight children in the Copenhagen area depending on which municipality they live in.’
The report, compiled by the State Department of Public Health in collaboration with the Capital Region, showed that kids in their final year of secondary school students were putting on the pounds in the western suburbs in particular – 28 percent of kids from municipalities such as Brøndby and Høje Taastrup were overweight, compared to just 8 percent in Gentofte.
READ MORE: Genes not decisive when it comes to losing weight, study shows
Income and education
Among other things, it is believed that education, income and social resource levels have a lot to say about why so many children in the western suburbs are overweight.
“If you are socially vulnerable, you have a tough time finding the motivation to make healthy food for your kids, so we see a skewing of the share of overweight kids in the municipalities,” Susanne Rank Lücke, the head of nursing association, Fagligt Selskab for Sundhedsplejersker, told DR Nyheder.
“The municipalities need to get involved already when the mother is pregnant and monitor the kids through childhood and in school.”
Other experts point to schools having a responsibility to ensure that the kids are eating well
PM shocked over CBS song debacle
The prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has conveyed his disbelief over the case involving Copenhagen Business School (CBS) apologising to a researcher for playing the old Danish song ‘Den danske sang er en ung blond pige’ (The Danish song is a young blond girl’) because the individual found it exclusionary. “I’m all for latitude and couldn’t dream of judging someone based on the colour of their skin or religion, but it simply can’t be right that we can’t sing a song from the old high school songbook at CBS,” Rasmussen wrote on Facebook. Aside from apologising to the researcher, who is an ethnic minority, CBS also indicated the song wouldn’t be played again.
C40 summit in Copenhagen
Mayors from cities across the world will convene in Copenhagen in October next year to take part in the C40 Mayors Summit – an event that will also attract the world’s leading researchers, CEOs and other dignitaries. The summit, which takes place every three years, brings together the leaders of the 96 member cities of the C40 network – a network dedicated to taking action in the face of climate change towards a more sustainable future. Previously, the C40 Mayors Summit has been hosted by Johannesburg, London, Mexico City, New York, São Paulo and Seoul.
Two Danish films shortlisted for the Oscars
Denmark’s impressive run at the Oscars looks set to continue following the shortlisting of two Danish films for the next edition of the academy awards. ‘The Guilty’, directed by Gustav Möller, is among nine films shortlisted in the Foreign Language category, while Simon Lereng Wilmont’s ‘The Distant Barking of Dogs’ is one of 15 films shortlisted in the Documentary Feature category. The final five nominees in each category will be revealed on January 22.
Danish-Indian relations back on track
The foreign minister Anders Samuelsen was in India this week to reopen the Indo-Danish Joint Commission in co-operation with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. According to Samuelsen, the move is a key component to Indo-Danish bilateral collaboration and there is great potential for Denmark to gain a foothold in the world’s fifth-largest economy. The commission has been idle for several years over a dispute between the two countries regarding Denmark failing to extradite accused arms dealer Niels Holck to India to stand trial. While in India, Samuelsen will also open the new Danish embassy building in New Delhi.
Public workers a cyber worry
A fresh report from the digitalisation authority Digitaliseringsstyrelsen has found that more than every third public worker isn’t aware of the rules concerning IT security of their work place. The report documented that many workers reuse the same password for different systems – even for critical systems that contain sensitive personal information. Moreover, almost every tenth public worker said they sometimes don’t follow IT security protocol because it makes their jobs harder. The practice provides hackers with easier access to public IT systems
Rambøll acquires big US firm
The Danish engineering firm Rambøll has taken a significant step in the US market after acquiring the US engineering firm OBG specialising in water, energy, environment and advanced manufacturing. The move is part of Rambøll’s strategy to strengthen its portfolio in the US, which now includes 2,000 employees. Currently, OBG is involved in one of the world’s biggest advanced waste water plants in Washington DC that aims to reduce the authorities in New York state to increase energy efficiency by 40 percent by 2030.
DBU sacks head beleaguered CEO
The Danish football association DBU has revealed that CEO Claus Bretton-Meyer has been sacked effective immediately. DBU indicated that it wants a different profile to assume the CEO reins after five years with Bretton-Meyer at the helm. Bretton-Meyer has incorporated a number of historic reforms during his tenure, but he has also attracted stern criticism for his handling in the recent conflicts involving the men’s and women’s national teams. Kenneth Reeh, will take over as the interim CEO until a suitable replacement has been found.
Lions hibernate in first place
FC Copenhagen goes into the long Danish winter break atop of the Superliga thanks to a good run of form in the league. In what already looks like a two-horse race, the Lions have a three-point lead on FC Midtjylland, and is a further 17 points ahead of third-placed Brøndby. FCK has been particularly boosted by 18 goals from winger Robert Skov, who is on pace to breaking the Superliga goals record of 28, set by Ebbe Sand back in 1998. FC Copenhagen, however, won’t be participating in European football this spring after losing 0-1 to Bordeaux in their final group game. The Danes finished bottom of the group in the end.
