Brent, Hounslow and Westminster have some of the highest rates of childhood obesity and overweight children in England.
According to new data published by the National Child Measurement Programme last week, 39.8 per cent of year six pupils, aged 10 and 11, in Brent were obese or overweight.
It was 39.4 per cent in Hounslow and Westminster, higher than both the London and national averages.
The number of obese year six pupils in Ealing rose by 4.1 per cent to 37.9 per cent, while rates dropped slightly in Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Harrow and Hillingdon to just over a third in each borough.
The data comes after the National Child Measurement Programme measured children across the country to determine the level of overweight children in primary schools.
Fast food, parents’ busy lifestyles, portion sizes, deprivation and lack of activity among children are some of the biggest causes of obesity and overweight children in the boroughs, according to Buvana Ailoo, lead at Hounslow’s Healthy Weight Team, an NHS initiative that was set up four years ago to tackle obesity in the borough.
Ms Ailoo said: “This is definitely concerning. Childhood obesity is quite complex, but it is not seen by parents as an urgent problem. However, it is something they need to be more aware of.”
Smita Bora, headteacher at Westminster Academy, cited inactivity as one of the principle causes of obesity. The school has launched an initiative called the Activity Passport to tackle the issue, where pupils are encouraged to try new sports like beach volleyball, cheerleading and parcour.
Nearly all of the students in the school are now involved, and the initiative was praised by Ofsted in March.
Ms Bora said: “Often obesity is linked to socio-economic conditions and in Westminster it might be to do the areas of deprivation in the borough.
“To make the situation better, people also need to work together in the area to close that gap in wealth in the area.”
Westminster Council said it has commissioned a number of programmes to tackle childhood obesity, including helping new mothers lose weight, Kick-Start, which is s family based healthy lifestyle scheme for seven to 12 year-olds and a Tri-borough healthy schools partnership.
A spokeswoman said: “Westminster City Council is committed to the health and wellbeing of every child in Westminster schools, and also offers a wide range of sports and leisure services to help children and families get active.”
Childhood obesity can have serious effects on a child’s health, bringing on conditions like heart disease or diabetes that are typically seen in much older patients.
It also causes low self-esteem and confidence issues, and can have a negative effect on a child’s academic progress.
