The rise in childhood obesity, which has left one in three children overweight, may be beginning to level off in the under-10s, a study suggests.
Experts believe that being significantly overweight is responsible for a wide range of health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and infertility.The King’s College London researchers add obesity rates among 11- to 15-year-olds are still rising.
Dr Cornelia van Jaarsveld, from the department of primary care and public health sciences at King’s College London, said there were several possible reasons for the “recent stabilisation of childhood overweight and obesity rates”.She said public health campaigns and initiatives could be starting to work.
But another explanation could be that a ceiling or “saturation point” had been reached with obesity rates.However, she said it was clear that the 11- to 15-year-olds were still a “vulnerable and difficult group”.
“Prevention works better in younger age groups, so we have to focus on cutting calories and encouraging a more active, healthy lifestyle in children.”
“Obese children are more likely to experience bullying, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease in later life.”