There has been a four-fold increase in British children admitted to hospital with obesity-related illnesses, according to a new study.
The national survey, which was led by research teams from Imperial College London and University of South Carolina, analysed statistics on all NHS admissions over a 10-year period, finding that 20 per cent of 10-15 year olds are now obese.
In 2009, 4,000 young people needed hospital treatment for problems, such as asthma and diabetes, complicated by being overweight, compared with just 872 in 2000.
Meanwhile, admissions were more common among girls (56.2 per cent) than boys (43.8 per cent), with doctors claiming that the UK now has the highest rate of child obesity in western Europe.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has urged the government to promote a stronger message of fruit and vegetables to move children away from fast food habits.
Officer for health promotion, Professor Mitch Blair, said: 'We need to look seriously at how fast food is marketed at children and consider banning junk food prior to the 9pm watershed, limiting the number of fast food outlets near schools, and making sure children are taught the importance of a healthy, balanced diet and how to cook nutritious meals from an early age at school.'
Blair's concerns are mirrored by celebrity chef and healthy eating promoter Jamie Oliver, who exclusively told FPJ his concerns in a recent interview. According to Oliver, a snacking culture has engulfed the UK, with adults eating takeaways and junk food at an alarming rate. “Treats have now become everyday things, with people getting fast food for lunch three, four or even five days a week, and kids not eating any fruit and vegetables from one week to the next.”
You can read more on the report's findings here.
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