Shocking figures reveal youngsters in Tower Hamlets are still too fat

Published: 12:00 AM December 11, 2009 Updated: 8:15 AM October 14, 2020

NEARLY half of 10 and 11-year-olds in the East End are overweight or obese with Tower Hamlets home to some of the fattest youngsters in the country. And nearly one in four of the borough s children as young as four-years-old also have weight problems, s

NEARLY half of 10 and 11-year-olds in the East End are overweight or obese with Tower Hamlets home to some of the fattest youngsters in the country.

And nearly one in four of the borough's children as young as four-years-old also have weight problems, shocking NHS figures revealed this week.

Kids in Year 6 and Reception classes were weighed and measured in the 2008/09 school year as part of the Government's National Child Measurement Programme.

And the figures revealed 24 per cent of kids starting primary school and 39 per cent in Year 6 are overweight or obese.

You may also want to watch:

The statistics will not come as too much of a surprise to the borough's health bosses with last year's study revealing similar figures.

But Tower Hamlets council insists it is tackling obesity with its Healthy Borough Programme which involves �4.68 million of funding going towards piloting projects to encourage families and children to be healthier.