How can county combat growing obesity problem?

Three-fiths overweight or obese now - expected to be three-quarters by 2050

- Kerry Ashdown

ABOUT three-fiths of people in Staffordshire are considered overweight or obese - and this is expected to rise to three-quarters by 2050, a public health report says.

About one in four of county children are classed as overweight by reception age - and more than one in 10 are obese - county councillors have been told.

The latest annual report has focused on excess weight, particularly its impact on children.

Director of Public Health Dr Richard Harling, below, told the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee: "These are broad estimates, but for younger children aged five to 11, we're looking at around 6,000 who are overweight and 5,000 who are obese.

"Older children - 11-18 - those numbers are higher so about 11,000 overweight and 17,000 obese. When we get into adulthood, we're looking at 280,000 adults in Staffordshire who are overweight and 190,000 who are obese. There is a clear correlation between deprivation and obesity, which is, on the whole, those wards that are more deprived do tend to have higher rates of overweight and obesity, and that applies to both childhood and adulthood.