MORE than 11,300 North-East and North Yorkshire four and five-year-old children are now classed as clinically obese.

Figures have revealed a worrying upward trend in the number of the region’s youngsters at risk of developing serious health problems at an age when they are still learning to read and write.

Tees Valley and North Yorkshire councils recorded among the worst rates of childhood obesity across all English authorities for school years from 2013 to 2016.

In comparison to figures from 2008 to 2011, the number of severely overweight Reception class children grew in Darlington from 9.1 per cent to 10.5 per cent and from 7.9 per cent in to nine per cent in Richmondshire.

The statistics published by Public Health England are based on thousands of children involved in the Government’s National Child Measurement Programme.

The height and weight of children at the beginning and end of their primary school years are recorded as part of the initiative.

The most recent figures revealed that 12.2 per cent of all Middlesbrough youngsters are obese, however, less than 25 miles south in affluent Ryedale, just 6.2 per cent of children have severe weight problems.

The Teesside Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) have predicted that 25 per cent of children in Middlesbrough will be obese by 2050 should current trends continue.

A Tees JSNA spokesman said: “The prevalence of obesity in Middlesbrough is significantly higher than the national average for both adults and children.

“The trend of weight problems in children and young people is of particular concern because of evidence suggesting a ‘conveyor belt’ effect in which excess weight in childhood continues into adulthood.

“In addition to the increased health risks in later life, children and young people face immediate health and psychological consequences of obesity including increased risks for elevated blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression.”

MPs last week approved the introduction of a sugar tax on soft drinks in a bid to slim down childhood obesity figures.

The levy on sugary beverages will begin in April 2018.