MORE than one in three pupils in Cumbria are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school, official figures show.

In Barrow, 35.9 per cent of Year Six pupils are overweight or obese, and the figure is even higher in Copeland at 36.1 per cent.

Social deprivation, cheap unhealthy foods and a lack of physical activity have been blamed for the rising number of children developing early health problems, following a study by the National Child Measurement Programme.

Both boroughs are above the national average of 33.2 per cent, leading to calls for parents, schools and councils to do more to improve the fitness and well-being of children.

Caroline Long-Hoggarth, steering group member of the Furness Poverty Commission and headteacher of Parkside GGI Academy, said the worrying trend needed a wide-approach to tackle.

She said: "[The figures] do fit in with findings of the poverty report.

"A lot of it comes down to not having the money to access things. Quite often poverty distracts from taking children out.

"[Parents] couldn't think about the rest of the family because of the money worries.

"They might eat cheap, high salt, high sugar foods and be regularly snacking. Not in all cases but in some cases that was the issue."

Early obesity levels makes the likelihood of a child developing diabetes, cancer and heart disease in later life significantly higher.

A total of 9,792 children had their body mass index measured during the survey at schools in the county.

Official statistics

England

Reception - Underweight 1%, overweight or obese 22.5%

Year Six - Underweight 1.4%, overweight or obese 33.2%

Cumbria

Reception - Underweight 0.4%, overweight or obese 26.1%

Year Six - Underweight 0.6%, overweight or obese 33.6%

Barrow

Reception - Underweight (no data available), overweight or obese 30.7%

Year Six - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 35.9%

Copeland

Reception - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 24.4%

Year Six - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 36.1%

South Lakeland

Reception - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 21.5%

Year Six - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 28.1%