LONDON - A rising number of children in Britain are becoming obese, a national survey said on Friday, with under-11s in poor, inner-city households the fastest-growing category.
A report by the National Centre for Social Research showed that the prevalence of obesity among children in England aged two to 10 rose to 13.7 percent in 2003 from 9.9 percent in 1995.
The percentage of children who were either overweight or obese increased to 27.7 percent from 22.7 percent over the same period, the figures showed.
"The factors that have driven the obesity crisis are still in place. The government has put some programmes in place to redress them -- though not nearly enough -- and they will take a while to have an effect," said Dr Elizabeth Dowler, expert in food and nutrition at the University of Warwick.
Britain has the fastest-growing fat problem in Europe. Cases of obesity have grown by almost 400 percent in 25 years and three-quarters of adults are now either overweight or obese.
Concern about a child obesity crisis has gripped Britain in recent years as healthcare specialists warn of a generation growing up with little understanding of -- or access to -- a good diet and regular exercise.
The case of a three-year-old girl who died in a London hospital of heart failure linked to extreme obesity made headlines last year.
More recently a television series about unhealthy school dinners sparked a national outcry and calls for more government money to be spent on providing pupils with fruit and vegetables rather than cheap, additive-laden, fast food.
"Our culture is one that encourages children to eat fast food. Crisps are the norm," Dowling said, adding: "It`s hugely difficult for people without much money to pay the kind of amounts they have to for fresh produce."
Growing levels of childhood obesity are particularly worrying because studies have shown that it can persist into adulthood where the health risks are more severe, the report said. Obesity is associated with diabetes, heart attacks, blindness, renal failure and certain cancers.
Obesity levels for children aged two to 10 were highest in the north east and London, the survey found. Children living in households with the lowest incomes had higher rates of obesity than children from wealthy households.
The biggest increase in obesity was seen among children aged eight to 10, where prevalence jumped to 16.5 percent in 2003 from 11.2 percent in 1995.
Last year the government published a Public Health White Paper outlining measures to combat obesity in adults and children. They included action on the advertising of unhealthy foods targeted at children and a more sports activities in schools.
04/29/2005 15:48 GMT