Topical Teaching

In the 2009/10 reception year, 13.3 per cent of children were classed as overweight and 9.8 per cent as obese.

But in Year Six, the final year of primary school, 14.6 per cent were overweight and almost a fifth – 18.7 per cent – obese.

Slightly more boys than girls were either overweight or obese in both age groups.

It is easy to dismiss these figures as an outcome of poor parenting, but schools have the opportunity to become far more proactive.  Schools can intervene by educating both child and parent and offer healthy choices in cafeterias.