ONE in three children aged 10 to 11 in Kent are overweight or obese, new research has found.

Nearly three quarters of Reception and Year Six children in the county have been weighed and measured as part of a nationwide scheme to fight obesity.

The annual National Child Measurement Programme checks children’s height and weight so local health services can identify children who are at risk of obesity.

The results from Kent for 2006/07 were encourage for Reception children aged four to five, showing an average of 22 per cent overweight or obese, which is close to the lowest prevalence of obesity for this age group nationally.

But by Year Six, around a third of children - 32.1 per cent - aged 10 to 11 are overweight or obese.

The highest percentage of overweight Reception children measured was found East and coastal Kent, with 23.7 per cent tipping the scales.

Medway had the highest percentage of overweight Year Six pupils – 34.6 per cent of those measured.

The studies also found boys are more likely than girls to be obese in both age groups.

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: “If we are to tackle the growing obesity problem, it’s vital we know which children are already or at risk of being overweight.

“The South East Coast region is close to meeting the national target of 80 per cent (not overweight).

“I’d like to thank all the parents in the region who have so far allowed their children to be measured and urge all those who haven’t to do so.”

The recently published obesity strategy – backed by £372 million Government funding – will provide additional help for everyone to lead healthier lives, with a particular focus on children, and aims to reduce the proportion of overweight and obese people back to 2000 levels by 2020.

Across Kent there are several programmes in place to help tackle childhood obesity including, lunchtime walks developed with the local Primary Care Trust, and Health Bites Back projects where a specialist offers healthy eating and physical activity sessions to classes.