Obesity levels soared in primary school children during COVID-19 lockdowns in the UK, with health professionals warning it will cost millions to reverse the trend.
Obesity in four- and five-year-olds rose by 45 per cent from 2020 to 2021, marking the largest single-year increase in childhood obesity in decades, according to a new study from Southampton University in the UK.
The report estimates that this "growing and serious population health concern" will cost the UK a massive £800 million, ($1.54 billion), in future healthcare needs if the rates do not decline.
The UK study found that almost 56,000 children aged 10 to 11 also became heavily overweight during the pandemic, with nearly 17,000 facing severe obesity.
The World Health Organisation predicts that obesity prevalence will soar to one billion people by 2030, becoming a major public health problem globally.
Childhood obesity has far-reaching health impacts, increasing the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, said the researchers.
With COVID-19 lockdowns interrupting the routines of children, the researchers believe that less school sport, disrupted sleep schedules, more screen time, and unhealthy eating habits were key contributors to the rise of childhood obesity.
The study warns that childhood obesity levels in England's most deprived areas were double the levels seen in wealthier areas, with the gap widening over time.
"The sharp increase in childhood obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the profound impacts on children's development," Southampton University's Professor Keith Godfrey, one of the study's authors, said.
"Alongside the escalating costs of the ongoing epidemic of childhood obesity, it is clear that more radical new policy measures are required to reduce obesity and secure wellbeing and prosperity for the country as a whole."
