The growing epidemic of child obesity is alarming. Alone in the United Kingdom one in five nine year olds are overweight and one in 10 obese, this figure has doubled in the last 20 years.

We should all worry about overweight and obese children suffering from poor physical health and social problems with bullying. The potentially devastating consequences of childhood obesity are Type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), increased tendency of a blood clot and cardiovascular, breathing problems during sleeping, asthma and serious liver and kidney disease.

An extreme measure to control obesity for some children is stomach stapling which can be both physically and emotionally traumatic. This problem stretches across Britain and can largely be attributed to the lack of daily activity of children no longer achieve with less playing outside and running around and a vast increase in the amount of hours sat inside watching television, and playing on computers.

Furthermore, whilst watching television children are exposed to numerous enticing commercials on food which are so appealing with their wonderful colours and well known characters and personalities promoting the products. We are responsible for our children and should encourage them to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, at least 4 pieces a day, and to play outside in the fresh air limiting the time they spend in front of the tv and computer.

At Abs we work with numerous children whom we encourage to enjoy exercise by making it fun, and without over exercising them teach them the value of exercise and having a healthy heart and lungs.