IT should be a shock to read new analysis into the drastic rate at which children gain weight as they go through schools, but sadly, it’s not.

Statistic after statistic tells of the looming obesity crisis facing the UK as our children get bigger and bigger. The latest, revealed today by the Local Government Association (LGA), demonstrates that the number of children classed as severely obese in their last year at primary school is double the that of those in reception. What is happening to them from the ages of four to 11 to make this the trend?

In Darlington, the borough council has established a link between the density of fast food takeaways in an area and the weight of children living there.

The authority is drawing up a five-year childhood obesity action plan to try and make eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting more exercise an easier option. One part of the plan could see Darlington’s director of public health intervene in licensing applications in areas already said to be “saturated” with takeaways.

This would certainly be a step in the right direction, but councils which have seen their public health budgets slashed by austerity cannot be expected to solve the problem alone.

As the LGA points out, reversing the reductions in public health grants would be another step, as would giving councils a say in how funding from the Government’s soft drinks levy is spent.

But mainly, there needs to be some joined-up thinking from central and local government to tackle this issue before it is too late.