Research in 2021 showed that 9.9% of reception age children (age 4-5) are obese, with a further 13.1% overweight. At age 10-11 (year 6), 21.0% are obese and 14.1% overweight, highlighting the issues with childhood obesity in the UK.
Children require a nutritious, well-balanced diet that provides them with adequate energy to grow and develop. However, if they consume more energy (calories) than they require on a regular basis and do not engage in adequate physical activity, they will gain too much weight. Childhood obesity can lead to major health issues later in life, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Your child will be classed at obese if their BMI is in the top 2% of BMIs collected for children their own age and gender.
Signs that your child may be overweight:
There are a number of indicators that your child is overweight and these include:
- They regularly eat the same portion sizes as yourself or an older sibling, or request additional food at meal times.
- They wear a larger clothes size than their age due to the clothing fitting them more comfortably.
- Become tired very quickly when participating in sporting events, such as playing football or running with their friends.
Our team are highly experienced in providing investigation and treatment for childhood obesity and will be able to offer you with the best advice and care.
We have private clinics based in Dorking, Surrey and Wimbledon, London, meaning we are ideally placed to investigate and treat young patients in Surrey, Kent, and Southwest London, including Balham, Battersea, Brixton, Clapham, Earlsfield, Streatham, Stockwell, Tooting, Wandsworth, Chelsea, Earls Court, Fulham, Parsons Green, South Kensington, and West Brompton.
