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One in three children is too fat by the age of 11
Sophie Goodchild, Health Editor11 Dec 2008
NEARLY a third of children are officially overweight or obese by the time they reach secondary school, figures reveal today.
A major study into childhood obesity reveals that government attempts to halt the epidemic have failed.
The report into the height and weight of nearly a million children also shows that a quarter of them started primary school with a weight problem.
Obesity rates among 10- and 11-year olds in London are the worst in the country - more than a third are obese or overweight.
Health expert Tam Fry of the Child Growth Foundation today warned that ministers must take more drastic action to tackle the problem.
He said: "These figures show there has been no improvement in levels of obesity among children. The real worry is the fact that obesity among Year 6 children is still double the level for reception pupils."
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said it was "horrifying" that one in three children was overweight or obese.
He added: "The costs and impact of obesity, both for individuals and the health service, are enormous. The NHS ultimately faces bankruptcy if we fail on this."
Today's findings from the NHS Information Centre show there has been no improvement in obesity rates since the previous survey last year. The figures are based on information provided by primary care trusts and schools as part of the National Child Measurement Programme, which weighs children in reception class (aged four or five) and again in Year 6 (aged 10 or 11).
NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said it was worrying that obesity was affecting so many young children.
He added: "Obesity is one of the biggest threats to the health of our nation and it is of huge concern that the problem is afflicting so many children and at such an early age.
"Today's report is the second time the NHS Information Centre has published annual findings for the programme. Over time, we expect the programme to pinpoint trends in the prevalence of obesity which will help frontline staff identify where best to direct their efforts in tackling the problem."
Councils have already started taking emergency action by removing children who are too fat from their parents.
At least seven children, including one in London, were taken into care for this reason last year.
Measures introduced by the Government include encouraging head teachers to inspect the contents of children's packed lunches.
Measuring obesity in childhood
WORKING out if children are obese is different from assessing problems in adults because children are still growing.
Doctors use body mass index to determine if an adult is overweight.
This is the ratio of a person's weight to their height.
But this does not give an accurate measurement in tall or short children.
BMI in children varies from birth to adulthood as they develop.
Instead, doctors base obesity measurements on growth curves which are then related to adult BMI measurements.
This means an average body mass index for a 12-year-old should be around 16.
Waist circumference is increasingly used as a guide for obesity in adults.
But the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has said that waist measurements are not a necessary guide in children.
Reader views (7)
I feel quite jealous of the youth of today! I was a fat kid and always picked on, which of course made me more unhappy and so I ate more. Made my life a misery. Nowadays I'd have been considered a sylph by comparison to most of these little porkers.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 12/12/2008 09:51
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I spend the summer in Ibiza working in the tourist industry. Whenever we see a realy fat family waddling through the resort we know by instinct that they are British and we are always right in our assumptions. They are never French, German, Spanish, Italian, need I continue?
- Casper Slides, France at the moment, 11/12/2008 20:28
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This is grass-roots Lack Of Self Control.
Children learn from their parents & as I'm yet to see a skinny mum/dad with an obese kid, what's so hard to understand that self respect, self moderating sensible eating is set by example,
bad example = a fat family, draining my health care & everybody who believes in
You Are What You Eat.
- Anon, Essex, UK, 11/12/2008 20:04
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We need more pie and mash shops where these kids can learn the delights of Jellied and stewed eels. Lubbley Jubbley.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 11/12/2008 19:00
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If and when proper regulations are placed in the type of 'food' allowed out there, then the level of obesity can be controlled. Truth is the cheapest food for the average person is the most unhealthy. Very healthy children tend to come from families with better control over themselves and what they feed their kids. There are 'unhealthy' food or substances that taste like food being advertised everywhere even in huge departmental stores. Until proper regulations are placed on the on food allowed into the market, we are then raiging a generation of Obese people who might end up with weight issues like Bulimia, Anorexia, and other illnesses associated with the toxins we shove down out throats everyday!
- Olivia, Milton Keynes, UK, 11/12/2008 15:38
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I still think the best incentive to get people to loose weight is to take it from their baggage allowance for air travel.
Each person gets 23kg usually, but if your "overweight" they diduct from your luggage allowance.
its only fair!
That is if they are able to get to the terminal without being floored by a plane stupid person. Good luck to you!
- Kate, London, 11/12/2008 15:15
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They should put very narrow doors in fast food, cake and sweet shops so that fat people cannot get in.
- Tom, Watford (UK), 11/12/2008 14:51
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