A STUDY has revealed that across Greater Glasgow and Clyde around 25% of children aged two and a half are overweight and almost 5% are obese.

Dr Linda de Caestecker, director of Public Health, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGGC) stressed the importance of ongoing work in preventing and managing overweight children and obesity.

Childhood overweight and obesity are a public concern with the burden currently falling hardest on children and young people from areas of deprivation.

Obesity rates in primary one pupils have increased in recent years with 22% being classified as overweight/obese in 2012/13.

Dr de Caestecker said: “We have evidence from a number of surveys that some of our young people are leading increasingly unhealthy lifestyles that, if they continue, will lead to poor health outcomes in later life.

“Successfully tackling child overweight and obesity requires the involvement of families, schools and communities as well as public and private agencies. The focus must be on prevention as well as the management of weight gain from pregnancy through to childhood and into adulthood.”

Evidence suggests children who are overweight in early years are more likely to revert to normal weight than children who are still overweight at school age.