1 in 10 school starters are obese!!

Blonde Logic

Yes. You can.
<snipped from Yahoo.co.uk>

Almost one in 10 children starting primary school is obese, Department of Health figures reveal.
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The statistics are part of a breakdown of the nation's health designed to help people live longer and happier lives.
It is the first time figures, which highlight the "health gap" between the affluent and the poor, have been broken down by each local health authority.
They showed obesity among reception-year children, aged four to five, averaged just under 10% - with Teesdale in County Durham having the lowest rate (5%) and Hackney in London the highest (16%).
Government figures released in February showed nearly a quarter of children aged four to five (22.9%) and almost a third of 10 to 11-year-olds (31.6%) was obese or overweight.
But the true figure could be much higher - as parents can elect to "opt out" of having their children weighed at school.
The Health Profiles, published online, were prepared for every local authority and region across England by the Department of Health and the Association of Public Health Observatories. Health chiefs said they would help the NHS and local authorities to target their resources more effectively.
And they showed the health gap between the most affluent and most deprived wards within each local authority remained unacceptable, public health minister Dawn Primarolo said.
"Inequalities around the country are stark, but the NHS and Local Authorities can use these profiles to target local health hotspots with effective measures to make a real difference," she said.
In addition to the figures detailing child obesity, the profiles revealed an average of 86% of children aged five to 16 gain at least two hours sport or PE a week.
 
Hi BL

I read this with some shock and horror. I have only recently began to understand how it can happen. I always compare people to me as a child and hard as it is to believe I was a skinny little thing, but then I grew up on a farm and there were far more interesting things to do than eat. And we didn't have a television until I was 11. I feel desperately sorry for children growing up in cities, where can they safely run and play and just be kids.

And also as you say the parents also should take the responsibility.

There was a headline in the metro yesterday that obesity is going to be worse than famine. That shocked me.
 
That makes me very sad. How could a parent allow a child to get overweight or obese at such a young age....what kind of future are they setting them up for!!?? :mad::sigh::(

Thing is it isn't necessarily always the parents fault. Food is very expensive, combine that with low income and a lack of knowledge and there you have a recipe for disaster.

Don't have time to go into it at the moment as I'm gettinng ready for work but this thread has some good arguments:

http://www.minimins.com/chit-chat/47197-obese-britain.html
 
I agree food is expensive, but even if you bought frozen from Iceland you still only need a protein and some vegetables to make a semi healthy meal. I can make a lentil soup that would feed a family of 6 and is very healthy for less than a fiver.
I do not see crisps, chocolates and biscuits and a necessity.
As a child we had a small chocolate bar once a week when Mum did a shop and that was it.

I think we are all too used to instant gratification, we want it now. And its easy for us to have it now.
 
I agree food is expensive, but even if you bought frozen from Iceland you still only need a protein and some vegetables to make a semi healthy meal. I can make a lentil soup that would feed a family of 6 and is very healthy for less than a fiver.
I do not see crisps, chocolates and biscuits and a necessity.
As a child we had a small chocolate bar once a week when Mum did a shop and that was it.

I think we are all too used to instant gratification, we want it now. And its easy for us to have it now.

Absolutely, thats the way society is at the moment... I want it, so I'll have it now.

With regard to the food thing, may people who are stretchin their budgets to feed larger familes often don't understand or have the education to realise how to cook, or the ingredients to make wholesome home made food. And Iceland, although seemingly value for money, they still have junk food priced cheaper than the other foods.

I think the Government need to get their act together and close the divide between the higher and lower classes, then maybe this whole situation can begin to straighten out somewhat.

In an ideal world, fast food joints would be banned and junk food wich can be brought in shops should increase in price. I also think that if fresh produce was sourced from local amenities then thet would lower the price. Oh and the EU crud about the shape of cucumbers and things should be flushed down the loo!

Again this is a very idealistic view but in theory it would work! Education should also incorporate home economics into every child's education, or make it compulsory. No excuses there!
 
I agree with you there. I used to get annoyed when people said the government should do something but I am finally starting to get it I think (me being a foreigner and all)

I think the Government should find a way to help people to help themselves. Although that may just be me living in my world with my rose tinted specs on.
 
Good post TG.
I guess the thing with issues like these are everyone has their own opinion and we should feel free to express that without someone getting upset about it. Lets face it, not you nor I can change the situation we are merely voicing an opinion.

We all have different reasons for why we put on weight. Maybe we should change the strategy and say that obese people with health risks should be given the option of a VLCD with counselling to help them.

Can you see I would be a cr&p politician, I can only really sit on the fence. :rolleyes:
 
I've read all your comments with interest. My son is extremely tall for his age (he is six next month) and weights 4 stone.

According to data and BMI he is overweight although he has the skinniest waste either with really long legs!

My son has always been in the 95/99 percentile since just after he was born and the same with his height. I was told provided he was in proportion he was not overweight by my health visitor and doctor.

I don't agree with children being weighed at school - they have enough pressures as it is without worrying that they are heavier than their friends (this is only my opinion)

FF
 
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