Quarter of 11-year-olds across Sandwell and Wolverhampton clinically obese

Data for Year 6 children in more than 350 boroughs has been released by the National Child Measurement programme.

It shows in Sandwell 26.6 per cent of kids are obese, while in Wolverhampton the figure is 26.4 per cent.

The areas are ranked as the sixth and seventh worst in the country respectively.

Walsall came 17th, with 25.3 per cent obese, and Dudley 36th, with 24 per cent.

South Staffordshire Council came 83rd with 21 per cent, Cannock Chase 85th with 22 per cent and Stafford was 226th with 17 per cent

Sandwell cabinet member of health, Elaine Costigan, said: “We as a council we face a real challenge to try to encourage people to be healthier.

"We have heavily invested in our leisure centres and all children swim for free during school holidays.

"In 2016 we banned new hot food takeaways being opened within 400 metres of any Sandwell school.

“We work with local schools and early years providers to promote physical activity programmes such as Sandwell Active Schools to help children do their recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

“We are committed to reducing sugar in school meals and we are working with companies providing these to cut down on the amount of sugar by 20 per cent in 2020.

“These figures are concerning and we won’t shy away from the hard work that needs to be done by us and our partners.”

Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group supports the council.

A spokesman said: “We recognise the impact of childhood obesity on children’s health and wellbeing.

"We know it is a complex issue with many contributing factors, including diet, physical activity and the environment.

“We also know that childhood obesity particularly affects children living in more deprived areas, such as Sandwell and West Birmingham.”