The number of children who are classed as obese rockets from 13% at age seven to 20% at 11
More than one in three children are too heavy by the time they are 11 years old, research shows.
And the proportion of them who are actually obese has rocketed from 13% at age seven to 20% at 11.
The study of 13,000 kids born in 2000 reveals the proportion of obese and overweight children combined rose from 25% at seven to 35% at 11.
Obese children face a higher risk of ailments like asthma, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes as well as psychological problems such as low self-esteem and depression.
Researchers also found a “clear link” between children’s weight and their parents’ level of education.
The data shows 25% of kids whose parents had no educational qualifications were obese compared to 15% of those who had at least one parent with a degree.
The data also found children who had overweight mums were more likely to be overweight themselves, which suggests they are copying their behaviour.
The research comes from the fifth Millennium Cohort Study to be published by the Institute of Education.
Dr Roxanne Connelly, who analysed the data, said it suggests children in the overweight category aged seven were “slowly creeping” into the obese category by the time they were 11.
And Dr Ann Hoskins, a director at Public Health England, said: “It is deeply concerning that there is a virtual doubling of overweight and obesity rates from reception to the end of primary school - and that it is particularly worse for children from low income households."
