Nearly one third of district's Year 6 pupils are overweight or obese

The recently published figures were discussed at a meeting held in Newbury, which showed that there had been a slight increase in levels of obesity in children at reception age and a slight decrease at those in Year 6.
This rate of “excess weight” in children is recorded as a measurement of Body Mass Index and has increased from 18.9 per cent to 19.3 per cent at Reception year.
According to the National Childhood Measurement data for 2013/14 which was published in December for Year 6 pupils this rate has dropped from 29.1 per cent to 28 per cent in the district, and more than half of this number are considered “very overweight” or “obese.”
In the south east the per cent of children in Year 6 who were overweight or obese is 30.3 per cent and nationally this is 33.5 per cent.
Newbury MP Richard Benyon said of the figures: “It is shocking to read such statistics but what is more important is what we are doing about it.
“Ultimately it comes down to us as families to take responsibility and we don’t want to be a society that is reliant on the state. It is about parents doing the right thing with their children in providing an appropriate diet and offering enough exercise.”
West Berkshire Council Head of Public Health and Wellbeing Lesley Wyman said: “Addressing excess weight in primary school children has been a priority area within the present Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
“It is clear across the country that a great percentage of children in Year 6 are overweight and/or obese than they are in reception year. It is important to note however that the trend over the five years has not changed significantly.”
For the full story pick up a copy of this week's Newbury Weekly News.