The Isle of Wight’s public health director has announced a crackdown on children’s obesity and dubbed it "one of the most significant public health challenges we have as a society."

New figures have revealed that nearly one in four children in reception were overweight or obese on the Isle of Wight in 2022/23 but the figure rose to one in three for Year 6 pupils.

In his annual report, ‘Let’s not wait — Enabling the Isle of Wight’s children to be a healthy weight’, Simon Bryant has shifted his focus to halt the worsening trend of rising levels of childhood overweight and obesity.

He is calling for health services to make fighting childhood obesity a key priority as the percentage of overweight or obese children is "now being accepted as normal."

His report was not highlighting concerns about how people look, Mr Bryant said, but the impact it has on health.

The rising trend can be reversed, he said, to reduce the risk for future generations.

If the Island "fails to act now", Mr Bryant said, the predicted levels of childhood obesity are predicted to increase by 35 per cent in Reception years and then 32.4 per cent of Year 6 pupils by 2039 — although it is likely to be even higher, the council has said.

The authority has highlighted studies which show obese children and young people are five times more likely to be obese in adulthood than those who were not obese as children.

Speaking at the Isle of Wight Council's cabinet meeting last week, Mr Bryant said he wanted to highlight the issue so they could act together with colleagues across the Island, as the authority could not do it alone.

He said: “How we live, the way we live and the behaviour we undertake means it is a lot harder for us to be a healthier weight.”

The council will be writing to key leaders and with them develop an action plan to tackle the problem.

The authority will also create an ‘Isle of Wight Healthy Weight approach’, which will include lessons on healthy living; providing nutritious and varied free school meals for some children; and environments that promote physical activity.