Child Obesity 'Levelling Off' But Concerns Remain

The steady rise in childhood obesity seems to finally be slowing down, but a third of young people are still too heavy, a study has found.

In younger children it appears that the rate of obesity has even begun to fall, but there is particular concern about the number of 11 to 15 -year-olds who weigh too much.

The research, based on 20 years of electronic health records relating to more than 370,000 children aged two to 15, revealed 37.8% of boys and 36.6% of girls in the older age group are either overweight or obese.

Report author and professor of public health at Kings College London, Martin Gulliford, said: “Children in their teens are very likely to become overweight or obese as adults, and from their obesity they might be at greater risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

“The concern therefore is that future generations may not be as healthy as previous generations.”

And that has cost implications for the NHS – but there are signs of change.

The report found that between 1994 and 2003, the prevalence of being overweight or obese in children rose by 8% a year, but in the second decade of the study, that rate fell to an annual rise of just 0.4%.

And while one in four children in the youngest group are too heavy – up from one in five in 1994 – it is among those aged two to five that the obesity rate is slowly beginning to decline.

Prof Gulliford said: “It’s an interesting finding that we see this trend level off in younger children.

“At the present time it’s too early to say whether this result is down to interventions that have been rolled out to address childhood obesity – or whether this reflects some kind of saturation whereby the children who are going to become obese have become obese in the environment in this country”

In Colchester, Russell Turner runs a group called Crossfit Kids to instil a passion for being active at a young age.

“Once they are here they don’t look back,” he said.

“It’s really important because it starts with fun and we are shaping their mindset with regards to how they see exercise, so as they grow up hopefully they will want to carry on and participate, eat well and keep that general lifestyle going.”

The children taking part in Russell’s class already know the importance of exercising.

James Chapman, who is seven, says it keeps him healthy and is much better than playing computer games all day.

And six-year-old Sophie Mann said she enjoys it because “you are not being lazy and you are keeping fit”.

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Child Obesity 'Levelling Off' But Concerns Remain