The number of obese children in Dorset is decreasing – but it is still an area of concern for health chiefs.

Figures published by Public Health England show that, in Dorset eight per cent of children in reception classes were classes as obese in 2016/17, the latest year that data is available for, compared to 8.5 per cent in the previous year.

More children are obese by the time they reach secondary school, but the figure is again decreasing. In 2016/17 the rate was 13.6 per cent, compared to 14.1 in 2015/16.

The figures stand just below the regional average of 8.8 per cent for reception children and 16.2 per cent for Year 6 children.

The data is taken from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP), which determines the weight of children in Reception Year (aged four to five years) and Year 6 (aged 10 to 11 years) in schools across the country.

Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to suffer from poor self-esteem, bullying and tooth decay in childhood. They are also more likely to be overweight or obese adults, which can lead to a range of preventable illnesses including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Justine Womack, Health and Wellbeing Programme Lead said: “Childhood obesity is the challenge of a generation and we need to create environments that enable children to eat healthy food and be physically active wherever they are.”

PHE has launched a comprehensive sugar reduction programme and has begun work to tackle excess calorie consumption, while the Soft Drinks Industry Levy has become law and will take effect from April 2018.

PHE’s Change4Life campaign is also helping millions of families to make healthier choices through meal swap suggestions and the Be Food Smart app, to identify the sugar, salt and fat in food. It also supports schools to help them embed healthier habits into everyday school life.

Progress on childhood obesity will be monitored through the yearly NCMP data, but with obesity rates increasing over many years, significant change will take time.