IN MY VIEW...WE MUST STOP OVERFEEDING OUR CHILDREN

TALKING about obesity at this time of year might have the ring of killjoy about it, but the issue of childhood obesity is a subject that should concern us all, whatever the season.

A third of children leaving primary school are overweight and this is now leading to a rise in the number with type 2 diabetes — something that was previously almost unheard of in children.

Around 7,000 people under the age of 25 are now known to have the condition and, though in some cases genetic factors are involved, there is no doubt the dominant features contributing to this are poor diet and lack of exercise.

This is in itself a tragedy. Children should not have type 2 diabetes and they should not be obese — for this is more than just puppy fat; obesity is something they are highly unlikely to grow out of. An obese child is five times more likely to become an obese adult. The Government has this year taken baby steps to tackle the problem — the so-called sugar tax on soft drinks may nibble at the edges, as will plans to reduce the advertising of junk food.

But essentially we’re feeding our children too much of the wrong foods and not keeping them active enough.

As a parent myself, I know the challenges — and, at this time of year, when children up and down the country are pleading with Father Christmas for computer games that will ensure yet more sedentary behaviour, while munching on copious chocolate gifts, it is more difficult than ever.

Yet it is not an issue we can ignore if we want a healthy future for our children. And without good health, what is there?

I hope in 2019, the tide finally starts to turn on this problem.