60,000 children considered obese at 4 and 5 years

The total of 58,196 people represents an increase of 14% over the past seven years, while the number of obese children aged 10 to 11 has increased by almost a quarter to reach 116,134. Last year. NHS Digital data shows that the problem is more serious in the poorest areas. Parts of London, including Newham, London Haringey, Enfield, Croydon, Brent, Barking and Dagenham, as well as Yorkshire and Humber and the Northwest, record the largest increase. Southwestern England and the affluent neighborhoods of London, Richmond, Wandsworth and Westminster, are among the regions where the number of children with severe overweight is the lowest.

The figures follow a report by Diabetes UK which estimates that the number of Britons developing type 2 diabetes will increase from 4 million to 5.5 million by 2030. Professor Philip James, founder of the International International Obesity Task Force, said: "Successive governments have serious and costly time bomb.

"Urgent action is needed without which the problem of obesity and related health problems would ruin the NHS."

He added: "There has been a dramatic increase in levels of obesity during the early years of school and this increase is dramatically higher in the poorer areas."

Tam Fry, of the National Forum on Obesity, said: "These numbers are terrible and reveal that the current system is not working.Despite the repeated efforts of the government and the huge sums spent by the government for s & # 39; To tackle this problem, we have not achieved any significant results.

"The worst thing about these numbers is the growing number of very young obese and increasingly obese children as they grow up.

"Many of them are sadly on the verge of developing serious and potentially fatal problems related to obesity later in life, such as heart and joint problems, cancer, high blood pressure, and high blood pressure. hepatic steatosis. "

He said that children still did not do enough exercise in schools, that they were faced with large portions and sweet snacks.

Studies have shown that obese children are about five times more likely to become obese adults.

However, Mr. Fry said that there had been some improvements. Last year, the government unveiled plans to limit the calorie content of pizzas, pies and prepared meals.

And a tax on added sugar in beverages came into effect in April. It requires companies to return a larger portion of their revenue with drinks containing more than 5 g of sugar per 100 ml.

As a result, many soft drink recipes have been modified.

Boards were also asked to ban fast food vans outside schools, limit opening hours of take-out stores located near buildings and to reject store requisitions. junk food located within 400 meters of a school.

In England, over a third of children are overweight or obese when they leave elementary school and nearly two-thirds of adults are also overweight or obese.

The government spends about £ 6 billion a year on treating diseases related to obesity.

An NHS spokesman in England said: "The growing epidemic of obesity in the country is causing problems in the NHS, but it is also a concern for the general health of the country. Kids paves the way for obesity in adulthood and can lead to 11 different types of cancer, heart attacks, type 2 diabetes, and other illnesses.

"The long-term plan of the NHS is playing its role, but other industries must also strengthen."