Almost a quarter of UK GPs are seeing obese children aged four and under

2026-01-25 - 21:05

Exclusive: Almost half of GPs have seen children up to the age of seven who have obesity, research finds Almost a quarter of GPs are seeing children aged four or under who are obese, according to a survey of UK family doctors. The “alarming” research also found that almost half (49%) of GPs have seen boys and girls up to the age of seven who have obesity, including a handful younger than a year old. Almost one in four (23%) said they had seen children aged zero to four where obesity was a clinical concern. Among the doctors, 81% have seen obesity in those between their first 12 months and the age of 11. Four in five (80%) find it somewhat or very challenging to talk to the parents of an obese child under the age of 16 about their weight and health, with only 10% saying that is easy to do. Nearly two thirds (65%) find it hard to talk to obese young people themselves, with just 20% saying that is easy. Continue reading...