Chewing the fat on youth obesity crisis

MORE than a third of pupils in Oldham are overweight or obese by the time they finish primary school, new statistics show.

Information from the government's National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) found that 37 per cent of Year 6 children (aged ten to 11) were classed as overweight or obese in the 2015/2016 school year.

The figures, which examined the Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 3,000 pupils, found that 15 per cent were classed as overweight, 21.9 were obese and only 61 per cent in the healthy range. The final two per cent were classed as underweight.

The statistics highlight a rise in the number of pupils who become overweight or obese throughout primary school, with 12.3 per cent of reception pupils (aged four to five) recorded as overweight and 9.2 per cent classed as obese.

The figures, released by NHS Digital, are similar to averages across England with a fifth (22.1 per cent) of reception children and a third (34.2 per cent) overweight or obese.

Councillor Eddie Moores, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "This data is particularly concerning as being overweight or obese can have a negative impact on health in childhood and in their later life.

Plan

"Following the publication of the national childhood obesity plan for action, we have been developing our own local plan to accelerate our work in addressing being obesity.

"Eating healthily and being physically active are important for good health and wellbeing and in preventing being overweight or obese.

"Our residents have access to good quality parks and open green spaces and there are a wide range of opportunities for children to engage in physical activity through school and community sports, gyms and leisure centres."

He added that Oldham primary schools are served by the council educational meals service, who holds the gold "Food for Life Catering Mark". The council also supports Public Health England's ChangeforLife campaign encouraging families to swap sugary and fatty foods for healthier items.

Across the country, boys were more likely to be obese than girls while obesity prevalence for children in the most deprived areas was more than double than that in the least deprived.

Stable

Dr Harpal Hunjan, clinical director for women and children at Oldham CCG, said: "The latest figures are highlighted through the National Child Measurement Programme and these show obesity in four-to five-year-olds in the country as a whole is stable but for ten-to 11-year-olds it is on the rise.

"The situation is far worse for children living in deprived areas; a child is twice as likely to be obese if they are from a poorer area.

"What we see on our streets, in the media and in shops encourages us to consume too many calories and gain weight. We all need to do more to create a healthier environment to support people to make healthier choices."