Tide of Obesity Continues

by Paul Conneally | December 13, 2008 at 07:42 am

411 views | 52 Recommendations | 10 comments

Despite concerted efforts in the classroom and through the media childhood obesity in the UK continues to grow with almost a quarter overweight when they enter primary school and a third are too fat when they leave to enter secondary school.

The World health Organisation say that the figures are worrying as research shows that the more overweight a person is when a child the more likely they are to suffer from cancer and other morbid disease as an adult.

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One in four children in reception class is overweight or obese, a new report from the NHS Information Centre has found.

The report, by the National Child Measurement Programme, also found that almost one in three children in year six is overweight or obese.

The programme, which has been running since 2005, measured the weight of nearly one million children in England – 88 per cent of those eligible – of those in reception (aged four to five) and year six (aged 10-11).

London Strategic Health Authority has the highest percentage of obese children. In reception class children, 10.9 per cent were obese compared to the national average of 9.6 per cent. For year six children, 21.6 per cent were obese, compared to the national average of 18.3

Nearly one in four children are obese or overweight when they start primary school and one in three are too fat by the time they leave, according to official figures.

The new data from the government's national child measurement programme in schools showed there had been no progress since last year in reducing the numbers of overweight children and provoked calls for greater efforts to tackle the obesity epidemic in the young.

National Obesity Forum spokesman Tam Fry said: "We had high hopes that there would have been a marked improvement after all the money that is being thrown at the problem but it seems that more radical measures will be needed to reduce obesity levels."

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Pat Garcia

at 07:51 on December 13th, 2008

This is really a serious problem

Paul Conneally

at 07:52 on December 13th, 2008

and a growing one here in the UK - many other so called 1st world countries too - meanwhile others starve,

Jawa Lunk

at 07:58 on December 13th, 2008

I believe it's more than 25% when I look around the school when I drop my daughter off.

For myself, I know that I have put on weight, and it's getting hard to take it off.

Our food is sooo bad for us here in the states.

Plus with the economy and depression...eating goes up...because it gives us pleasure.

sad.

Jawa Lunk

at 09:45 on December 13th, 2008

Yeah, I know when me and my family can't afford to go out, we usually cook up something special :D

We still have 3 kids living at home (we have 6), and it's pretty expensive to do anything in this town because it's a tourist trap.

Our downfall is the enjoyment of consumption...

I think the only one of us that is not over ideal weight is our 4 year old...

Grant it, we are not obese, but none of us are at our ideal (by government health standards) weight.

We used to pass the time watching movies together, but with the addition of our youngest, there really isn't much that would entertain all of us...but eating good food is fun for all!

My wife is in the kitchen right now cooking up some cherizo filled flaming cheese :D

CCCCCCCC (not verified)

at 13:56 on December 13th, 2008

We always had a saying for a good beef cow...that is was

"corn fed", meaning well-fattened.

All the fructose and corn oil and sugar in diet along with saturated fats is making people fat. That and antidepressants, which so many people take. The Chinese never ate cheese till the Pizza craze hit. Now even China is facing obesity. Orange processed cheese is soooo fattening.

Pizza's really don't need to have cheese on them...it's a fast food invention.

I don't think obesity has become a problem in France.

Smart, those French.

I hope some countries stay that way (healthy weight and all) and don't turn into mirrors of the fast fake food industry....

Anyone see that documentary, "King Corn"

Amy Judd

at 13:57 on December 13th, 2008

These are shocking figures!

Jawa Lunk

at 15:06 on December 13th, 2008

So many puns...so little time :D

158

at 19:29 on December 13th, 2008

I gained 15 pounds in 6 months but in the past 6 weeks I have lost half of that and hope to lose 8 more within a month. Then I will have to watch what I eat for life.

duo

at 00:11 on December 14th, 2008

Interesting report - thanks.

The trend toward obese kids is because of pediofiles. Children let loose outside run and play without any instructions. It is just natural that they get lots of exercise and keep their weight down. But these damn pediofiles prohibit parents from being able to allow their children that freedom. They can only go outside and play when they have an adult watching their every move. Even then, the parents have to constantly call them back and say, "Stay where I can see you!"

Pediofiles in society made the "fat kids" problem.

Mary

duo

at 00:13 on December 14th, 2008

Jawa Lunk

at 02:49 on December 14th, 2008

Hmm...

Not that I'm defending pedophiles, but how can we blame our fat kids on them?

I mean, the trend is from instant gratification our society teaches...

"I want to have it now...not later"

We have microwave food...and still stand in front of it saying to ourselves..."Come on! I 'aint got all minute!"

Our kids have 197 channels to choose from on TV...you can't find anything to watch...keep surfing the channels, you will eventually.

Internet for social connecting....hours and hours of typing instead of talking.

Video games (mostly for the boys), and a telephone in your room (mostly for the girls)...

How do I know this...well, I have 6 kids and I myself am guilty of these things.

And although out of the eight of us, I only have 1 obese child (who really put most of it on after she got married and had my second grandchild), and 2 overweight children...the rest of us are not within the governmental suggested weight for our height and body type.

The only one who is, our four year old daughter...because we've begin to change how we do things.

Not going outside IS a legitimate complaint, but to blame overweight kids on pedophiles...I don't buy it.

Again, we have to stop pointing fingers and accept the fault.

I don't know about you and your children...but my kids are overweight because of ME....now I have to do something about it.

csourav

at 10:49 on December 15th, 2008

You are doing good journalism.

csourav has contributed a photo to this story.

draliyorkmuhammed

at 15:40 on December 21st, 2008

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draliyorkmuhammed has contributed a photo to this story.

draliyorkmuhammed

at 15:43 on December 21st, 2008

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