London: British girls are now the fattest in Europe, a study revealed on Tuesday.
Doctors warn that childhood obesity in the UK has reached “alarming’ levels, with up to a third classed as dangerously fat.
They claim that Britain has become “the fat kid of Europe” and that the problems set in by the age of nine.
In their wide-ranging report, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, which represents doctors specialising in children and young people, issues a wake-up call to politicians.
It says childhood obesity statistics “continue to cause alarm”, with 29 per cent of girls and 26 per cent of boys overweight or obese and “storing up serious health problems for the future”.
British girls aged under 20 are the fattest in a league table which covers 22 nations in western Europe, while British boys under 20 are in tenth place.
Lisa Murphy, of the RCPCH’s Youth Advisory Panel, said the health of young people in the UK `has been falling behind the rest of Europe for too long’.
Its Vision2015 study also says the UK’s child death rate is the second worst in western Europe, with an estimated five extra deaths a day compared with the best performing country, Sweden.
And one in ten children - around three in every classroom - has a diagnosable mental health condition, but even those identified are often not treated properly.
The RCPCH wants a ban on advertising of foods high in saturated fats, sugar and salt before 9pm, and restrictions on them being advertised on internet `on-demand’ TV services such as ITV Player.
Dr Hilary Cass, president of the RCPCH, said: `The main focus of health and social care policy from successive governments has been on meeting the needs of an ageing population. We now want to see equal focus given to our younger population.’
(c) Daily Mail
