THURROCK Council is to set up a special group to tackle a growing problem of childhood obesity in the borough after revealing almost a quarter of reception class pupils are overweight.

A report to the borough's people overview scrutiny committee (which meets on Thursday, 25 July) has revealed Thurrock has "the highest rate of childhood obesity for children in reception year and second highest in the East of England region for children in Year 6 and is significantly worse than the rate for England".

The committee has requested that a task and finish group be set up to review action being taken to address the problem.

The council says the causes of obesity are "complex" and a fresh strategy is needed.

Latest figures for 2022/23 show 23.9 per cent – one in four four-year-olds in reception class are overweight or obese which is significantly higher than the rate for England at 21.3 per cent and for the region at 20 per cent.

Children from Black, Asian and mixed ethnic groups are said to be experiencing the highest rates of obesity. In Thurrock this rises to 38.7 per cent – one in three in Year 6 children which is also significantly higher than the rates for England and the region at 36.6 per cent and 34.2per cent respectively against 29 per cent of white children.

The report says: "Excess weight in childhood can often lead to obesity in adulthood. On average obesity reduces someone's life expectancy by around three years with severe obesity shortening life by as much as up to ten years

"The long-term cost of obesity and the impact on the quality of life for those who are overweight or obese means that system-wide action is required to reduce the level of childhood obesity in Thurrock."