The welfare of children has become paramount as we celebrate International Children's Day today. In fact, Chinese society must take all possible steps to protect children from both human and natural predators.

Heightened security around kindergartens and schools may play spoilsport as China celebrates the holiday this year.

Such belated security measures, it is hoped, will prevent future rampages against children and help assuage psychological scars these tragedies have inflicted on other children.

Safety tops the list of priorities, but other issues, such as the health of our children, too need focused attention.

Diabetes, for instance, is rapidly emerging as one of the biggest threats to health among teenagers and younger children in China. Lack of proper education about right nutrition is aiding the spread of the condition, which is closely linked to improved living standards, and resultant unhealthy diets and inactive lifestyles.

Parents are to blame, to some extent, for the rise in child obesity in China. Due to the country's one-child policy, parents tend to, more often than not, dote on their children and cater to their every whim. Irresponsible companies, who, in the pursuit of quick profits, entice children to eat high-calorie and fatty food, are also to blame for the problem.

Safer schools and kindergartens, and a healthy lifestyle will go a long way in better nurturing future custodians of our nation.

(China Daily 06/01/2010 page8)