CHOICE – that’s the freedom we all love to have and to be honest it’s part of the change that Scottish Women in Sport is trying to achieve by supporting the ideal that every girl should have the opportunity to choose which sport she wants to participate in, no matter the opinion of others.

However, there are times when we have too much choice, and that can be confusing for everyone and also creates a different type of problem, particularly when the wrong choice is made.

Now, as much as I try to avoid sounding like an old granny, albeit I might fit that description, I have the urge to use the dreaded line: When I was young.

That is exactly what jumped straight into my head as I read the recent report on the obesity crisis amongst Scots. Currently it is estimated that 15 per cent of children are obese, with 29 per cent of adults currently classed as obese too. That number increases to 65 per cent when you change the category to overweight.

This is a frightening statistic, particularly where young children are concerned, as it would be expected that they would be more active and mobile, which would help keep these figures at a much lower rate.

The problem, in my opinion, is that we have too much choice.

Dinner time in a number of households is now run like a local restaurant, with everyone putting in their orders and if children don’t like a certain type of food, then the concession is made and the quick, normally unhealthy, option is served up on demand.

Now you would have to have been living on Mars if you are not aware of the long-term health implications of obesity and the correlation it has with eating the wrong foods.

This is where the ‘when I was young’ phrase comes into play. We were served a healthy dinner every night and if we didn’t like it, well, tough.

We did have a choice, however, and it was made clear to us on a daily basis, normally from your mother, as she told you in no uncertain terms: Your choice – you eat it, or you starve.

You were also not allowed to eat between meals as it would spoil your appetite, so that, in effect, rationed the sweet treats, which have now become a given and a daily occurrence.

Another choice issue that raises its head at this time of year is Christmas presents.

This is supposed to be the time of peace, love and giving.

It should not be about receiving every conceivable toy that has been paraded in front of children’s eyes through the many different promotional platforms for weeks on end.

Parents have to take responsibility here and that should extend to ensuring that their children receive, among all of their requests for the latest technological gadget, a selection of toys that keep them fit and active. Let’s go one step further here and include the whole family in this.

What an opportunity to get healthy together as a family. Invest in bikes, roller-blades and tennis rackets, the list is endless.

Make a healthy choice for a change and it could turn out to be one of the best decisions and one of the best buys you have ever made. Getting fit and enjoying sport as a family will have a strong bearing on the health of all of the family and the fun that will ensue is priceless.

With choice comes responsibility and that is something that we all need to take cognisance of. It may not win the popularity vote with your kids, but as parents and carers it is part of the remit and it is our responsibility.

Keep the fast food as a treat for the weekends.

Ensure that there is an active time for your kids every day and if possible join in with them. Little changes like this will see the utterly depressing statistics change and that change will be to the benefit of our future generations. That is something that we can all be proud of.