Experts demand action as report reveals obesity crisis for pupils

More than a quarter of children are overweight or obese when theyturn up for their first day at school - with one in threedangerously fat by the age of 11.

Figures released by the NHS, based on measuring the height andweight of 1,950 pupils in the Staffordshire Moorlands, have promptedcalls for more action to tackle a flab crisis.

The news came as it emerged Stoke City's Britannia Stadium couldbe filled almost to capacity by clinically obese adults living inthe district.

More than 27 per cent of men and women over the age of 16 - atotal of 26,071 couch potatoes - are classed as unhealthily heavy.

Retired health visitor Nancy Hough, of Doulton Close, Cheadle,said: "I'm afraid these statistics are not that surprising anymore.

"It is very easy nowadays to reach for a ready meal and childrenneed to be educated about the importance of healthy food, and so doparents."

In the past school year, 15.9 per cent of the 969 four and five-year-olds going to school were classed as overweight.

The national average is 13.3 per cent.

A further 9.1 per cent were obese.

Out of 981 Year 6 pupils, aged 10 and 11, 14.7 per cent wereclassed as overweight and a further 17.4 per cent, 171 children,were obese.

The effects of an overeating and inactive society are stark, withabout 4,770 people in the Moorlands diagnosed with diabetes eachyear, far higher than the national average.

Former mayor Mrs Hough, aged 73, said: "Obesity can lead to heartdisease or diabetes and get people in a real mess so the key is toget the message home to children as early as possible.

"The traditional teaching is to be cruel to be kind and say nomore often than not when children ask for lots of sweets or chipsand that should still be the case.

"Sport is also a big thing. Children should be encouraged to playoutside, even when it can be very tempting to stay in a warm bedroomand play video games."

Elgin Smith, football development officer at Cheadle Town,believes sport and a good diet is the key to keeping children fitand healthy.

The 69-year-old said: "I used to go on holiday to the UnitedStates and wonder where these massively obese people could come frombut nowadays it is even worse in this country.

"Someone needs to pick up the baton and have a long-term joined-up approach to tackling the problem, involving parents and schoolsas well as clubs like ourselves.

"Cheadle Town is founded on the philosophy of providing freetraining for young children and that could be the best way forward.

"But it would be no good getting children running if they wereeating a load of junk food as soon as they finished. We have to worktogether."

Health bosses have warned overweight children could face serioushealth problems.

Tim Straughan, chief executive of the NHS Information Centre,said: "More needs to be done at a younger age to encourage healthyeating and participation in physical activity.

"It is essential we reduce the future health implications forthese children."