THE number of children who are overweight by the time they leave primary school in Copeland is the fifth highest in the North West.

Almost two in five 11-year-olds in Copeland are classed as overweight or obese amid warnings chronic fat-related illnesses and diabetes are becoming more prevalent among youngsters.

RELATED ARTICLE: One in three Cumbria children overweight when they leave primary school

In Copeland, 15.1 per cent of children in Year Six class are overweight and a further 24.8 per cent are obese, making the area the worst in the county.

Top five: authorities with highest rate of overweight or obese Year Six pupils in North West

1. Knowsley 40.1%

2. Manchester 40%

3. Blackpool 39.9%

3. Salford 39.9%

5. Copeland 39.8%

Several causes

Councillor Felicity Wilson, member of Millom Town Council and Copeland Borough Council, said it was unclear why Copeland scored poorly in child health measures.

She said: "In Millom we have got the Recreation Centre which is super for children and the rugby and cricket clubs really encourage children into sport. But when you look around the rest of Cumbria and see the facilities they have, Millom doesn't have the same level.

"More children are sedentary. We need to change that.

"I think one of the problems that we have got now is the taste [of unhealthy food]. I think it's a difficult balance of getting fresh healthy and eating the right stuff."

There is some big variation in south Cumbria, with 38.8 per cent of Year Six children being overweight or obese in Barrow, which is above the English average, and 31.4 per cent in South Lakeland, below the average.

RELATED ARTICLE: Copeland has highest number of overweight people

The proportion of reception children aged four or five who are overweight or obese is 28.9 per cent in Copeland, 28.8 per cent in Barrow and 21.7 per cent in South Lakeland.

This is why early intervention work to instill a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise in people from an early age is being targetted as a priority in the county.

One of the biggest projects to take place locally is Learn 2 Play, an Active Cumbria and Young Sport Trust campaign to provide early years practitioners, parents and carers with support to encourage all children to become healthier.

The national strategy around childhood obesity was recently criticised due to there being no restrictions on junk food advertising and the plan to reduce sugar in foods and drinks by 20 per cent will be voluntary.

Official statistics

England

Reception - Underweight 1%, overweight or obese 22.1%

Year Six - Underweight 1.3%, overweight or obese 34.2%

Cumbria

Reception - Underweight 0.3%, overweight or obese 26.7%

Year Six - Underweight 0.7%, overweight or obese 34.8%

Barrow

Reception - Underweight (no data available), overweight or obese 28.8%

Year Six - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 38.8%

Copeland

Reception - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 28.9%

Year Six - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 39.8%

South Lakeland

Reception - Underweight (no data), overweight or obese 21.7%

Year Six - Underweight 0.9%, overweight or obese 31.4%