The number of 11-year-old children in England weighing more than 15 stone (95 kg) or classified as 'very overweight' has doubled in a year, according to new figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre. A record 383 children in Year 6 were recorded as severely obese in 2015, up from 176 in 2014.
Birmingham had the highest number of severely obese children, with 21 weighing more than 15 stone. Other areas with high numbers included Leeds, Kirklees, and several London boroughs. The heaviest child, from Stafford, weighed 16 stone 7 lbs, just one stone lighter than heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury.
Tam Fry, spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, described the figures as 'a disgrace' and warned that childhood obesity could 'collapse the NHS'. He blamed a diet of processed food and fizzy drinks, combined with a lack of exercise, and called for greater government action on prevention.
Official figures show that one in ten children is obese at the start of primary school, rising to one in five by the time they leave. The data highlights the growing burden of childhood obesity on health services, with experts warning of increased risks of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
