IT has been obvious for a long time that there is a serious obesity problem among children in Scotland, but the scale of it is still striking. According to figures from Cancer Research UK, almost 83,000 children have started primary school overweight or obese in Scotland over the last decade. Looked at another way, around 15 per cent of every primary one class has been overweight since 2005.
There is some comfort to be had in the fact that the problem does not appear to be getting significantly worse. In 2005/6, 8,799 of the 54,317 primary one intake was overweight or obese, which amounts to 16 per cent; in 2014/15 it was 8,903 of 59,776 or 15 per cent and between 2007 and 2009 it was 14 per cent. But the fact that the problem may have plateaued at around 14 to 16 per cent is little comfort when faced with the potential longer term consequences.
The basic problem is that obese or overweight children generally grow up to be obese or overweight adults, with all the problems that go with it: heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and mobility problems. Scotland’s overweight problem is also becoming an increasingly serious burden on the NHS and social services and, if year upon year, 15 per cent of the children starting primary school are overweight, the problem is going to become even more serious.
The answer is complicated but requires intervention in a number of areas based on the principles of prevention rather than cure. There are already some good projects up and running, such as Healthy Powerful Communities, but children are generally at the mercy of their family’s lifestyle. Education and advice for parents on diet and exercise will help, as well as ensuring that PE classes are as inspiring and inclusive as possible, particularly for girls, but it also requires governments to consider and implement controversial policies such as a sugar tax. Obesity in children is at alarming levels – the solution will have to be bold.
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