Almost a quarter of UK GPs are seeing obese children aged four and under

Exclusive: Almost half of GPs have seen children up to the age of seven who have obesity, research finds

Almost a quarter of GPs are seeing children aged four or under who are obese, according to a survey of UK family doctors.

The “alarming” research also found that almost half (49%) of GPs have seen boys and girls up to the age of seven who have obesity, including a handful younger than a year old.

Almost one in four (23%) said they had seen children aged zero to four in which obesity was a clinical concern.

Among the doctors, 81% have seen obesity in those between their first 12 months and the age of 11.

Four in five (80%) find it somewhat or very challenging to talk to the parents of an obese child under the age of 16 about their weight and health, with only 10% say that is easy to do.

Nearly two thirds (65%) find it hard to talk to obese young people themselves, with just 20% saying that is easy.

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Source: www.theguardian.com

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