A THIRD of 10 and 11-year-olds in England are overweight or obese, rising to more than 40 per cent in some regions, figures show.

The stark difference in obesity according to where children live is growing, with some regions having twice as high figures as others, according to a report from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

While the percentage of children who are obese or overweight in reception year (ages four and five) is falling, the proportion of older children who are overweight and obese remains stubbornly high, and has increased to 33.2 per cent in 2014/15 from 31.6 per cent in 2006/07.

In some regions, there are particularly high numbers of overweight and obese children in Year Six, with Southwark and Newham in London having the highest proportion at 43.2 per cent.

In Lambeth, 41.8 per cent of children are overweight or obese, as are 41.9 per cent in Tower Hamlets and 39.2 per cent in Birmingham.

In Hartlepool in the north East of England, 41.6 per cent of children aged 10 to 11 are overweight or obese.

In contrast, 26 per cent of children in Surrey are the same.

The percentage of children in reception year who are obese or overweight has fallen to 21.9 per cent, from 22.9 per cent in 2006/07.

Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: "Falling rates of obesity in reception age children is promising, but the fact remains that we now have more children leaving primary school overweight or obese and this is simply unacceptable.

"Without a robust plan to tackle this issue, obesity rates will not fall, putting future generations at risk of deadly conditions like heart disease, diabetes and stroke."

Today's figures also examined obesity alone, finding that across England, almost one in five (19.1 per cent) Year Six children were obese.

There are stark differences according to where children live, with 25 per cent of children in Year Six in the most deprived areas being obese compared to 11.5 per cent in the least deprived.

Southwark had the highest recorded prevalence (27.8 per cent).

Meanwhile, 25.9 per cent of children in Wolverhampton are obese, as are 24 per cent in Birmingham.

Richmond-upon-Thames had the lowest (10.5 per cent), while in Rutland in the East Midlands, just 13.3 per cent of children in Year Six are obese.

In reception year, 12 per cent of children living in the most deprived areas were obese, compared to 5.7 per cent in the least deprived areas.

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