More than one in five children leaving primary school in Bolton are obese, according to the latest figures. The NHS Data findings show that 23.6 per cent of year six children across the borough are classed with the condition.
This comes just under a year after Bolton hosted a "giant milkshake" installation in the town centre in December 2023 as part of an NHS campaign aimed at raising awareness about childhood obesity. Bolton Council cabinet member for adults, health and wellbeing Cllr Sean Fielding said: “Having any proportion of children obese is clearly not good given the additional health problems that childhood obesity can lead to. “However, as with most health statistics there is an inverse correlation between affluence and prevalence of the problem.
The giant milkshake in Bolton town centre (Image: Newsquest) “Obesity can generally be avoided with regular physical activity and a balanced diet. “Though, work is still required at a national level to reduce inequality and poverty so that more people have the freedom and ability to make better choices.” Bolton's total falls roughly in the middle compared to other areas around the country, but public health leaders have warned that obesity in children is often linked to high levels of deprivation.
The figures were published by NHS England and based on findings from the government’s National Child Measurement Programme, which covers mainstream state-maintained schools. They showed that Bolton’s proportion of ob.