Childhood Obesity seems to be levelling Out

According to researchers from King's College, London, who conducted a study that analysed data on 370,000 children's weight gathered from GP practices, found that more than a third of children aged between 2 and 15 are obese or overweight. But the childhood obesity crisis seems in part to be levelling out. Between 1994 and 2003 rates increased by an average of 8% each year but the following decade between 2004 to 2013, the number of children that were overweight or obese increased by only 0.4% each year. However this isn't the time yet for parents to pat themselves on the back as although younger children are less likely to be overweight or obese these days, either because we've reached a saturation point, where all the children who are likely to become overweight and obese in this environment has or government and school initiatives and better understanding of nutrition has made a difference, it's too early to know for sure. However the group of children aged 11-15 seems to be increasing. Prevalence in this group has risen from 26.7% in 1996, to 37.8% in 2013. Dr Colin Michie, chair of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's Nutrition Committee, said it was no surprise that rates were high among this group of children, "this group are beginning to find their independence and unfortunately, it is also this age group who are likely to be easily influenced by the world around them, through advertising and access to pocket money priced fast food," he explained. Eustace de Sousa, national lead for children , young people and families at Public Health England, said: "Obese children are more likely to experience bullying, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease in later life." So what to do? If you have a child in this age group try to find ways to keep them healthy. For example try to encourage them to come back home each day for dinner, so they can have a well balanced meal instead of them visiting the local 'chicken shack' shop or chippie. Encourage them to do exercise or join a sports team as doing regular exercise will make them more likely to make healthier meal choices and activities will help to control body weight better. So it's good news in some part but more needs to be done to finally stamp out obesity in childhood for good and ensure the next generation is fitter and healthier than the last.