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| Over one-in-10 Welsh children starting school obese | Over one-in-10 Welsh children starting school obese |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than a quarter of Wales' four and five-year-olds are overweight - with more than one in 10 classed as obese, say public health officials. | |
| Merthyr Tydfil tops the league for weight issues in young children, with 34% regarded as overweight. | Merthyr Tydfil tops the league for weight issues in young children, with 34% regarded as overweight. |
| Public Health Wales looked at the Body Mass Index (BMI) of just over 1,000 children starting primary school - with a BMI over 25 considered unhealthy. | Public Health Wales looked at the Body Mass Index (BMI) of just over 1,000 children starting primary school - with a BMI over 25 considered unhealthy. |
| Across Wales, 26% were over that BMI - while in England it was just 22%. | Across Wales, 26% were over that BMI - while in England it was just 22%. |
| The average figures for Wales are also higher than the worst region of England - which is the north-east, where 24% of four and five-year-olds have slipped into the overweight BMI zone. | The average figures for Wales are also higher than the worst region of England - which is the north-east, where 24% of four and five-year-olds have slipped into the overweight BMI zone. |
| However, this year's statistics are a slight improvement on last year, when the first BMI survey was published by Public Health Wales (PHW). | However, this year's statistics are a slight improvement on last year, when the first BMI survey was published by Public Health Wales (PHW). |
| PHW consultant Linda Bailey said it was not too late to tackle the problem. | PHW consultant Linda Bailey said it was not too late to tackle the problem. |
| "Simple and easy steps such as replacing fizzy drinks with water, and snacking on fruit instead of chocolate or crisps are the answer for many children this age," she said. | "Simple and easy steps such as replacing fizzy drinks with water, and snacking on fruit instead of chocolate or crisps are the answer for many children this age," she said. |
| EXPERT'S VIEW | EXPERT'S VIEW |
| Leading specialist Dr Nadim Haboubi, chairman of National Obesity Forum Wales, bemoans young children not being involved in activities. | Leading specialist Dr Nadim Haboubi, chairman of National Obesity Forum Wales, bemoans young children not being involved in activities. |
| "Children have computer games, iPads and they sit there for hours," he told BBC Wales. | "Children have computer games, iPads and they sit there for hours," he told BBC Wales. |
| "Unlike perhaps when we were children, there's also a genuine fear it's unsafe for young children to be outside playing, unsupervised. | "Unlike perhaps when we were children, there's also a genuine fear it's unsafe for young children to be outside playing, unsupervised. |
| "They eat too much junk food and now in the school holidays you can see them in burger restaurants from the morning onwards - the places are packed. | "They eat too much junk food and now in the school holidays you can see them in burger restaurants from the morning onwards - the places are packed. |
| "I drive from home to work and there are seven 24-hour burger restaurants but no leisure centres open until late." | "I drive from home to work and there are seven 24-hour burger restaurants but no leisure centres open until late." |
| "Sweets when I was growing up were a treat, something you had at Christmas or special occasions, now they're given out as rewards. | "Sweets when I was growing up were a treat, something you had at Christmas or special occasions, now they're given out as rewards. |
| "You've got to detect problems at an early age, so it's down to the parents. Obesity can keeping getting worse like a cancer unless you manage it. | "You've got to detect problems at an early age, so it's down to the parents. Obesity can keeping getting worse like a cancer unless you manage it. |
| "But for those in deprived areas, healthy food is not very affordable either for a lot of people." | "But for those in deprived areas, healthy food is not very affordable either for a lot of people." |
| Obesity levels are significantly higher than average in Merthyr, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf, and significantly lower in Monmouthshire, Conwy and the Vale of Glamorgan. | Obesity levels are significantly higher than average in Merthyr, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf, and significantly lower in Monmouthshire, Conwy and the Vale of Glamorgan. |
| 'Big excuse' | 'Big excuse' |
| Nathan Hewitt, from Quaker's Yard near Merthyr, once weighed 23 stone aged 15 - after having ballooned from the age of 10. | Nathan Hewitt, from Quaker's Yard near Merthyr, once weighed 23 stone aged 15 - after having ballooned from the age of 10. |
| Now aged 24, he is 12 stone and a weight loss coach. | Now aged 24, he is 12 stone and a weight loss coach. |
| He argues that healthy food is within reach of people even under a tight budget. | He argues that healthy food is within reach of people even under a tight budget. |
| "Cost is a big excuse," he said. "You can buy healthy ingredients and cook healthy meals cheaply. It's really about convenience. It's easier for people just to go out and buy chips." | "Cost is a big excuse," he said. "You can buy healthy ingredients and cook healthy meals cheaply. It's really about convenience. It's easier for people just to go out and buy chips." |
| He added: "I don't blame my parents for what happened to me. Between the age of 10 and 13 I was fully aware of what I was doing - I was eating for pure pleasure. | He added: "I don't blame my parents for what happened to me. Between the age of 10 and 13 I was fully aware of what I was doing - I was eating for pure pleasure. |
| "But then there was the vicious circle of eating because I was unhappy and unhappy because I was overweight. | "But then there was the vicious circle of eating because I was unhappy and unhappy because I was overweight. |
| "It's no good telling young children to stop eating - you need to give them a goal to work towards. Losing weight doesn't need to be a chore - there can be something good at the end of it." | "It's no good telling young children to stop eating - you need to give them a goal to work towards. Losing weight doesn't need to be a chore - there can be something good at the end of it." |