CHILDREN in Cumbria are having three times more sugar than they should, according to shocking new figures.

Too many fizzy drinks, a low awareness of hidden sugars and a lack of exercise are contributing to the future obesity timebomb, a council report has found.

Public health nurses from Cumbria County Council have been visiting schools in Barrow, Furness and South Lakeland as part of a new health and wellbeing initiative.

Their figures show that 42 per cent of Year Five children - or those aged between nine and 10 - have a least one to two fizzy drinks every day.

In the same group, nearly seven per cent said they had three to four fizzy drinks every day.

Three per cent said they had five or more fizzy drinks every day.

In the Year Nine age group, or those aged 13-to-14 years old, the amount of fizzy drinks guzzled was even higher.

Nearly half, or 47.9 per cent of 13-to-14-year-olds drank at least one to two fizzy drinks every day and more than seven per cent drank three to four.

A total of 3.4 per cent drank five or more fizzy drinks every day, according to the survey of more than 1,000 local youngsters.

A total of 41 per cent of teens in the Year Nine age group said they never drank fizzy drinks at all.

Experts said: “Sugary drinks are one of the main sources of sugar in kids’ diet. Too much sugar can lead to unhealthy weight gain so swap sugary drinks for lower-fat milks or water.”

When it came to “active play or exercise,” more than half of children aged nine to 10 years old did not get the recommended hour or more every day.

A total of 21 per cent exercised for an hour only once or twice a week. A total of 16 per cent exercised three to four times a week, 12 per cent exercised for an hour five to six times a week, and five per cent never exercised at all.

A total of 44.8 per cent exercised for an hour every day. In Year Nine, just 33.8 per cent said they exercised for an hour every day.

The authority has been surveying children at schools in Furness and South Lakeland.

The council said: “Our service is aimed at lifestyle improvement, through maintaining and promoting mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Our key priorities include healthy weight, emotional health, positive digital wellbeing and reducing risk taking behaviour.”

Statistics suggest that 20 per cent of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year.

Half of all such problems are said to have become established by the age of 14-years-old.

More than 75 per cent of mental health problems have developed by the age of 24.

The statistics also showed that by the age of 11, over half of children are using social media.

A number of schools have taken part in a public health review. They include Furness Academy, Walney and Dowdales, along with primary schools Barrow Island, Chetwynde, Dalton St Mary’s, George Romney, North Walney and Ormsgill.

South Lakes secondary schools taking part have included Cartmel Priory, Dallam, John Ruskin, Coniston, Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, AND the Lakes School, Windermere.