Increasing numbers of boys and girls under the age of 11 are now obese, official figures for England show.
Between 1995 and 2003, the prevalence of obesity among children aged two to 10 rose from 9.9% to 13.7%, the Department of Health found.
The biggest increase seen in an age group was among eight to 10 year-olds, from 11.2% to 16.5% over the eight-year period.
Obesity experts said the statistics were alarming.
Obesity also rose significantly in the poorest areas of the country.
Levels of obesity were five percentage points higher among children living in the most deprived areas than the least deprived areas of England.
Obesity levels were lowest in Yorkshire and the Humber and the South East (11-13%), and highest in the North East and London (about 18%) in 2001/2.
Children living in inner city areas were particularly prone to obesity.
The number of children who were overweight, and possibly on the road to full-blown obesity, had also risen.
More food, less exercise
Children of parents who were themselves obese were much more likely to be overweight.
About 20% of children living in a household where both parents were overweight or obese were themselves obese compared with 6.7% of children living in households where neither parents were overweight or obese and 8.4% of children where one of the two parents were overweight or obese.
Dr Ian Campbell of the National Obesity Forum said: "These statistics are very worrying indeed.
"Clearly we are in the middle of an epidemic that is wreaking havoc on our children."
He said it was down to children consuming more calories and being less active than they ought to be.
"It's the fact that calories have become cheaper and exercise expensive."
It's terrible that these kids are getting so big and lazy! Although we can't really say it's that alarming, considering how popular video games and computers are these days.
It's also sad because parents just don't have time like they used to, both mothers and fathers are working so there isn't a parent to take their kids out and play. When they're home, they plop them in front of the TV so they can have time to do whatever else needs to be done.
It's not just lack of play/exercise it's poor diet - am sure most of you saw Jamie Oliver's School Dinners recently.
He proved that a change in diet at school has a real affect on childrens energy levels, concentration and weight.
It's so easy to blame lack of time and money for providing children with convenience foods but i'm a single mum and have worked full time and i actually found it cheaper and easier to give tasha fresh food and proper cooked meals with fish and chips once a week as a treat.
It's very hard when your faced with a child that will only eat nuggets n chips or burger n chips etc... cos you worry that something is better than nothing but children need to be re-educated at home as well as school about what's good for them in the long run.
I mean seeing 6month old in a supermarket covered in chocolate isn't a pleasant site and if they start on sweets etc... at such an early age is it any wander that they crave sugar loaded things later on or a 1yr old eatinga mcdonalds because it was easier to get one on the way home than to make something when you got in.
Everything these days is about convenience - but if it risks out children is convenience worth it????
At the end of the day the parents control at least 2 of the childrens meals a day, if you give them healthy food from a young age they won't reject it as they get older.
My kids are made of fruit and veg, Chloe would eat stew everyday if she could or tuna pasta and sweetcorn never known a kid like her with such a appitite. But because it is healthy food it doesn't matter as much.
Most of the treats i give my kids are dry fruit such as the pinapple, Appricots and rasins etc they would sooner eat that then chocolate, They have still got two easter eggs in the cupboard.
Anyway my point is it is up to the parents to take the kids out for a walk, eat healthy and eat less crap.
Take them for a walk to the shops rather then jumping in the car. Take them on the field and chuck a ball down can keep them entertained for ages ( and makes them sleep better at night
) Might get a lyin.
Just teach your kids the right way to eat and it will be easier for them as adults to stay trim
Originally posted by fastchaz36@May 4 2005, 08:10 PM At the end of the day the parents control at least 2 of the childrens meals a day, if you give them healthy food from a young age they won't reject it as they get older.
My kids are made of fruit and veg, Chloe would eat stew everyday if she could or tuna pasta and sweetcorn never known a kid like her with such a appitite. But because it is healthy food it doesn't matter as much.
Most of the treats i give my kids are dry fruit such as the pinapple, Appricots and rasins etc they would sooner eat that then chocolate, They have still got two easter eggs in the cupboard.
Anyway my point is it is up to the parents to take the kids out for a walk, eat healthy and eat less crap.
Take them for a walk to the shops rather then jumping in the car. Take them on the field and chuck a ball down can keep them entertained for ages ( and makes them sleep better at night
) Might get a lyin.
Just teach your kids the right way to eat and it will be easier for them as adults to stay trim
Tasha is a veggie junkie - her favourite is red and green pepper.
I mean when she was a baby and teething - we let her chew on cucumber, pepper, melon - anything cold and natural instead of rings etc... and now she's an avid fruit/veg eater.
Though she has started having chocolate now she's 3 but because she never had it as a baby she has one or two mouthfuls then has had enuff.
Urgh how anyone can let their child become obese is beyond me. To be perfectly blunt about it, I think that any parent who lets their child have a staple diet of junk food should be fined.
We have a major problem with my eldest niece aged 10. Her mother quite frankly can't be bothered to cook.....her idea of cooking is pulling a ready meal out of the freezer and throwing it into the microwave. She get's taken to McDonalds/Burger King approx 3 times a week and is allowed to eat as much crap as she likes.......chocolate,crisps fizzy juice you name it. THEN her mother has the cheek to tell her that she needs to lose weight.
YES she needs to lose weight, she can't fit into MY clothes.....it's not HER fault tho. She eats the crap because that's what she's offered. At the age of 7, she poked a tomato round her plate because she didn't know what it was. Needless to say, my brother went berserk and had major words with her mother when he took her home after the w'end.
School dinners are a disgrace.....the very least we should do is ensure that kids get decent food while in school, my youngest nieces nursery has actually banned packed lunches and ONLY serve fresh fruit and vegetables at snack time.
Anyway, I could rant about this for hours but I won't
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