Fast food weighing down our girls

THE UK has one of the highest proportions of overweight schoolgirls in the world, alarming figures revealed last week. I find it heartbreaking to see young people swigging cans of Coke or Red Bull on their way to school or going to the chicken shop most nights for their dinner. I have had patients barely into their teens complain of breathlessness or sore joints because of their weight. And it’s hardly surprising given their diet – and that most of them don’t even get an hour of PE a week at school. What hope have they got? They’re also storing up problems for the future, increasing their risk of diabetes and cancer.

This came in a week when figures also revealed that the number of fast-food outlets has risen by eight per cent since 2014 – there are now 56,638 fast-food diners in England with most in deprived areas.

As a GP and a parent, I can’t help but think – how many more warnings do we need?

The Government should crack down on the takeaway boom and get kids moving more at school.