Special clinic plan to treat obese kids
A SPECIALIST clinic for severely obese kids is to be launched at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
It comes as the NHS say many vulnerable children have struggled with weight gain during the pandemic.
Amanda Pritchard, the head of the NHS in England, said the Covid crisis has ‘shone a harsh light’ on obesity.
The RMCH clinic is one of 15 new specialist centres which will be set up for severely obese children and their families.
About 1,000 kids aged two to 18 will benefit each year from the services, which will offer diet plans, mental health treatment and coaching.
They will have access to dietitians, psychologists, specialist nurses, social workers, youth workers and a children’s doctor. The clinics have been been opened as part of a pilot scheme, which will be extended if it proves successful.
Obesity affects one in five children in the UK.
In England, the number of children living with obesity doubles from the start of primary school to the end of primary school.
Ms Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS in England, said: “The pandemic has shone a harsh light on obesity – with many vulnerable young people struggling with weight gain during the pandemic.
“Left unchecked, obesity can have other very serious consequences, ranging from diabetes to cancer.
“This early intervention scheme aims to prevent children and young people enduring a lifetime of ill health.
“The NHS Long Term Plan committed to take more action to help children and young people with their physical and mental health, and these new services are a landmark moment in efforts to help them lead longer, healthier and happier lives.”
The announcement comes as NHS Digital will publish the National Child Measurement Programme for England for the 2020-21 school year, which is expected to show if obesity prevalence is on the rise among children.
It analyses body mass index (BMI) classification rates by age, sex and ethnicity as well as geographic analyses, covering children in Reception and Year 6 in mainstream, state-maintained schools in England.
The previous report for 2019-20 had some stark findings, with obesity prevalence increasing from 9.7 per cent in 2018-19 to 9.9pc in 2019-20 in Reception years, while in Year 6 obesity prevalence increased from 20.2pc in 201819 to 21.0pc in 2019-20.