Fast food outlets could be outlawed near Medway schools in a bid to reduce temptation for children.

The ban is being considered as figures show more than a third of 10-year-olds in the Towns are overweight.

Councillors investigating an obesity epidemic want a new planning policy to prevent takeaways from operating close to schools, parks and leisure centres.

Other suggestions to be put to Medway Council's cabinet to tackle the problem include forcing children to stay at school at lunchtime to prevent them gorging on unhealthy food.

Statistics on the weight of Year 6 children in Medway - a key concern to medics - reveal that almost one in five are clinically obese.

When this is added to the number categorised as overweight - 14.6 per cent - the total is 34 per cent.

The Medway obesity figure for 2008/09, the latest available period, is above the national average of 18.3 per cent, but actually dropped from 20.4 per cent in 2007/08. With 25 per cent of its pupils obese, Rochester East ward weighed in at the top of Medway's 2008/09 table. Gillingham South and River wards were not much further behind at 23 per cent.

The fewest number of obese children were found in Hempstead and Wigmore ward at seven per cent. The figures were revealed in the findings of a seven-month probe of children's eating habits by Medway's children and adults overview and scrutiny committee.

Richard Odle, from Medway Youth Parliament, said for many pupils lunchtime was a rush to the local chippy. He backed the fast-food ban idea and said there should be better education for children and parents.