OBESITY CRISIS AS TODDLERS SENT TO FAT CLINIC
Experts reveal city’s health ‘tragedy’
MORE than 100 kids as young as two i n Glasgow have been sent to obesity experts.
MORE than 100 children aged as young as two in Glasgow have been referred to obesity specialists.
Figures show nearly a quarter of the young people referred to NHS Weight Management programmes for under 18s – 368 in total – involved children aged two to four.
A total of 103 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde were referred to the Mind Exercise Nutrition Do It (MEND) programme in 2016/17.
Across Scotland over the last three years, there were at least 519 referrals for children aged two to four, although the true figure is likely to be higher as a number of health boards did not hold specific figures for under-18 referrals or could not provide a breakdown of such data by age group.
Tam Fry, chair of the National Obesity Forum, said it was “tragic” that children as young as two were at risk of obesity, but stressed that it was better to intervene early.
He said: “The younger they can be picked up for excess weight gain and something is done about it, the more satisfactory and successful it will be because at that point children are much more receptive to management, instruction, coaching, whatever you want to call it than if they were allowed to continue to put on weight and deal with it at a later date.
“Ideally what Scotland should be going for is not having bad habits in the first place, but at least their strategy is going in the right direction by identifying weight management requirements for these young children at that age.
“But of course, my first reaction is that it’s tragic that it’s necessary in the first place.”
It comes as the Scottish Government considers responses to the consultation on its proposed obesity strategy which includes measures such as banning bulk-buy offers on junk food such as crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks, limiting portion sizes from takeaways and requiring restaurants to display calorie information on menus.
The Scottish Government wants to expand the sugar levy to include milk-based drinks, such milkshakes and hot chocolate, containing less than 95 per cent milk, and a ban on advertising junk food on television before the 9pm watershed - but both issues are reserved to Westminster.
“Obesity is a problem for all ages in the UK and this latest data emphasises how the problem is affecting preschool children.
Scotland has the highest rate of childhood obesity in the UK and research has shown that overweight or obese preschoolers are five times more likely than normal-weight chil- dren to become overweight or obese adults.
Dr Steve Turner, Officer for Scotland for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “With the drafting of an obesity strategy, Scottish Government has a real opportunity to turn these statistics around. We know that obesity rates are falling in the more affluent communities in Scotland, so it is possible to reduce obesity rates.
“What we hope to see are bold policies that invest in prevention, particularly in our less affluent communities, as we know this is much easier than cure.”
The figures were obtained in a freedom of information request by the Scottish Conservatives.
Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said: “These figures show tens of thousands of people – even children as young as two – are being referred to specialists. If we don’t take steps to tackle this problem now, the consequences for both the health of our population and the future strain on the NHS will be severe.”
Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: “We put forward a bold package of measures in our draft diet and healthy weight strategy to help everyone make positive choices, empower personal change, and makes Scotland a healthier place to live.
“The strategy includes world leading proposals to restrict the marketing of foods high in fat, salt and sugar. Now that the strategy consultation has closed, we will continue to lead the consensus across the political spectrum as we set out our next steps.”