'These are not luxuries - they're essentials'

HAIRY Biker Si King has called for action following a damning report that shows not only does the North East have the highest obesity levels in the country but that there are far more fast food outlets here than on average around England.

- SAM VOLPE

The new report from the Northern Health Science Alliance's Nutrition North network has highlighted the “stark” reality for people living in the North East.

The report demonstrates how 32.2% of adults and 24.5% of 10 to 11-year-olds are officially classed as obese. When it comes to adults, this is 6% above the national average, while with primary school children that's the highest in England.

Si King has written the foreword to the report, and in it he highlights how important this issue was to him.

He said: "As someone who's proudly called the North East home my whole life, I've seen up close the struggles our communities face especially when it comes to food and nutrition.

"Food should nourish us, bring us together, and help us thrive, but too many in the North are missing out on the basics: fibre, calcium, fresh veg, and healthy fats. These aren’t luxuries they're essentials.

"We need action now local solutions, skilled nutritionists, and secure incomes so that every family in the North has the chance to eat well and live well."