OVERWEIGHT kids are to be targeted in a new action plan to tackle obesity in primary schools.
The programme, led by the East Lancashire Primary Care Trust, will include weighing and measuring pupils in reception and Year 6, before they leave for secondary school.
The details of children at risk will be passed to specialist nurses who will issue them with tips on how to fight the flab.
Plans also include inviting parents into the schools to speak about their child’s weight problems.
Both health chiefs and politicians are concerned at the mounting levels of obesity, particularly in children, where the problem is seen as a ‘timebomb’ that could lead to poor health in adulthood.
In East Lancashire, results for 2006-07 show that 13.4 per cent of Year 6 children are overweight, compared to a national average of 14.2 per cent in England.
But there are pockets of deprivation, including areas of Hyndburn, where the figures will be higher.
This is the third year the PCT has been instructed to carry out the monitoring scheme by the Government and this year more children will be weighed and measured to get a clearer picture.
A spokeswoman for East Lancashire PCT said: "Everyone is aware that there is a growing problem among children and this programme is designed to find out the scale of the problem in East Lancashire.
"Once we have the information the aim is to help support parents of children at risk to help change their lifestyle. This would include advice on eating habits and the need for physical activity in one form or another.
"Of course, we would handle the matter with sensitivity and care. We do not go in for the wagging finger approach."
The PCT and its partner organisations already has a number of pro-active initiatives to try to prevent the problem of child obesity, including the healthy schools programme and the five-a-day scheme.
The spokeswoman added: "Many initiatives are underway already but we will be able to help more people once we know the scale and the number of those at risk locally."
Dr Ellis Friedman, the PCT’s public health director, said: "We take the issue of overweight children very seriously. The rates of childhood obesity are going up and that is worrying.
"Our measurement results will probably show that areas of East Lancashire are above the national average, since the rates are linked to levels of deprivation."
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