One in three Portsmouth pupils are overweight or obese by the time they finish primary school

Public Health statistics published yesterday report that 36.6 per cent of students aged 10 and 11 in Portsmouth are overweight or obese while 26.5 per cent of children starting primary school are also bigger than the national benchmark.

The figures represent an increase for the numbers of overweight children in the city which has been on an incline since 2014.

Councillor Matthew Winnington, cabinet member for health, wellbeing and social care, said: ‘Rates of children in Portsmouth being overweight or obese in Year 6 have remained steady from 2017/18 to 2018/19 but the most recent data is showing a slight increase for reception aged children.

‘It's important to look at longer terms trends then just yearly changes.

‘Nonetheless, this is a priority area for us.’

It comes after plans were approved in September last year from Portsmouth City Council to trial banning new fast food takeaways within a 400m range of schools – starting with a pilot at Arundel Court Primary Academy in Landport.

As a result no new hot food takeaways will be able to open within a 400m radius of the school. Road closures during school start and close times, a ban on smoking at the school gates and promoting healthy eating in school will also be implemented.

Cllr Winnington added: ‘We're currently working with partners to test ideas in an area around Arundel Court Primary Academy in Landport to see which ones are best at making the area more healthy.

‘The ideas are based on feedback from children at the school. Throughout the year, we'll be working with the school and other organisations on things like making it nicer and safer for children to play outside, helping families to walk to school, running family cookery sessions to find healthy new meals that everyone like, providing ideas for healthy lunchboxes and improving the availability of healthy foods on offer in local shops and takeaways. The most successful ideas could then be used elsewhere in the city.’

The data also shows that 37.3 per cent of Year 6 pupils in Havant are overweight or obese and 25.7 per cent of Gosport primary school children also fall into the same category.

Healthwatch Portsmouth chairman Roger Batterbury said: ‘For people in areas of deprivation, every penny counts and when it comes to buying food, the cheapest option is important but that is rarely the healthy choice.

‘We are worried about the figures but I think authorities and public health teams are doing what they can with the budgets they have as it does come down to the bottom line. Schools also do what they can with education but that is a long term plan because there needs to be useful information for parents.

‘In terms of the sorting the issue, I think there has to be a national push as there are so many factors at play. We also have the societal problem of being less active and staying inside on our gadgets which are usually full of adverts for fast food so we are surrounded by it all the time.’