Nearly a quarter of all reception age children in Kent are now classified as either overweight or obese, according to NHS figures.

A study exploring the rate of obesity in state school pupils was undertaken as part of the government's National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) for England.

The report published by NHS England examined children in reception aged four and five, in the school year 2018-19.

Children with a Body Mass Index (BMI) centile of between 85 and 100 were classified as 'overweight and obese'.

Across the whole of Kent, nearly one in four reception kids (24.7%) were found to be overweight or obese.

This represented an increase on the previous year (2017-18) when one in five (20.7%) were recorded as such.

Of these, Thanet recorded the highest number (29%), followed shortly by Dover (28.5%) and Gravesham (28.1%).

The study also looked at the rate of obesity among pupils aged 10 and 11.

It found nearly one in three Year 6 pupils were overweight or obese (32.2%), a slight decline on the previous year (33.2%).

Of these, Dartford recorded the highest number (38.3%), followed by Gravesham (36.8%) and Medway (36.4%).

The lowest levels were observed in Tunbridge Wells, where one in four pupils (26.2%) were obese or overweight.

This was followed shortly by Sevenoaks (27.6%) and Tonbridge and Malling (28.9%).

The study also provided a breakdown by age, sex and ethnic background.

It found there was a higher prevalence of obesity in Year 6 boys (22.5%) compared to girls (17.8%).

One in 10 boys in reception were recorded as obese, with the proportion of girls in the same age category just under (9.4%).

The report concluded obesity was more common for children living in the most deprived areas.

It found levels of obesity were more than double of those living in the least deprived areas for both reception and Year 6.

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