Startling statistics have emerged from a recent study conducted by the Institute of Child Health at University College, London. It has been revealed that nearly a quarter of all children are overweight or obese by the tender age of three. Specifically, 18% of toddlers are heavier than they should be, while a concerning 5% are clinically obese.
These findings, based on the measurements of 14,000 three-year-olds, highlight the urgent need for action against poor diets and sedentary lifestyles amongst young children. With mounting concern from politicians and education authorities, efforts are being made to address this pressing issue.
The research, which draws on data from The Millennium Cohort Study, tracking children born in the UK between 2000 and 2002, also uncovers disparities between different social and ethnic groups. The study demonstrates that children from low-income backgrounds are more likely to be overweight or obese compared to their better-off counterparts.
Notably, Indian toddlers appear to be the healthiest, with only 9% being overweight or obese. In contrast, a staggering 33% of Black Caribbean children fall within this category, with white children following closely behind at 23%.
Professor Carol Dezateux, an esteemed expert in Pediatric Epidemiology at the Institute of Child Health, reinforces the need to address this issue from an early age, stating: “Weight problems don’t just start at school age – it starts earlier.” It is clear that reinforced messages about diet and exercise to parents of very young children are of utmost importance in combating this growing concern.
