Obese children a thing of the past?

Statistics from Kirklees Council showed the proportion of obese children aged 10 and 11 taken from schools in Kirklees had fallen to 18.4 percent in the 2012/13 school year.

Obesity peaked in 2011/12, when 19.9 percent of year six children were obese. Shaun Fox, director of Liversedge-based Legacy Sport said more still needs to be done.

“Obviously we welcome this news,” he said. “It shows it’s a step in the right direction, and there are a lot of good things going on at the moment with schools in Kirklees.

“I think the problem is two-fold though – we need to teach kids about the importance of both exercise and good diet.

“A lot of the time, kids can copy the habits of their parents, so it is a good idea to have an active and healthy lifestyle if you want your kids to have one too.”

The results, which were part of the National Child Measurement Survey, were slightly below the national average at 18.9 percent.

Shaun added: “The good news for parents is that the information is there if they need it. Whether it is through the Change for Life campaign or just through their child’s school.

“It’s never been easier to get help for your children if you are worried that they have a weight problem.”