Rising Obesity In Youngsters May Cost £8bn

OBESITY levels among children sparked by the pandemic could end up costing more than £8billion, research suggests.

- Jane Kirby

A study found the problem in England rose significantly among four to five-year-olds and those aged 10 to 11 between 2019/20 and 2020/21 at the height of the spread of coronavirus.

While more recent figures show a slight drop in obesity levels during primary school, the proportion of overweight children aged 10 to 11 is still higher than before the pandemic.

Researchers from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and the University of Southampton warned that costs are set to climb because overweight children and teenagers tend to become obese adults.