Obesity kills three-year-old

A HEALTH committee in Britain reported yesterday that a girl of three died from heart failure because she was so overweight and warned that obese children could become the first generation to die before their parents.

The Health Committee’s damning report on Britain’s obesity epidemic condemned the British government, the NHS, food manufacturers and advertisers for their inaction.

Their report mentioned the case of the obese child who died from heart failure, as reported by Dr Sheila McKenzie, a consultant at the Royal London Hospital.

The hospital runs an obesity service for children which, even though it has only been open for three years, has an 11-month waiting list.

Dr McKenzie also described four children who required ventilatory assistance at home for sleep apnoea who were effectively “choking on their own fat”.

In her letter of evidence to the committee, released yesterday, Dr McKenzie warned that severe illnesses related to obesity, such as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, were likely to increase.

She wrote: “The only solution to childhood obesity is prevention. Availability of food high in sugar and fat must be reduced. Sport and other exercise must be brought back into the school curriculum.”

Dr McKenzie warned that obesity was the “biggest health challenge developed countries now face”.

The Daily Mail reported today that the dead youngster was a Bengali girl from east London.

She should have weighed around 2st 4lb but had a Body Mass Index (BMI) which equated to around 6st.

The committee’s report made recommendations to kick-start action amid gloomy predictions of a future where serious diseases caused by obesity are common.

Not all the measures were welcomed by the food industry, while British Health Secretary John Reid said individuals also had a major role to play in their own health.

Their report points out obesity in Britain has grown by almost 400% in 25 years, with three-quarters of adults now overweight or obese.

England has the fastest-growing obesity problem in Europe, with childhood obesity tripling in 20 years.

The report calculates that being overweight or obese costs Britain €11 billion a year.

The committee called for a voluntary withdrawal of TV advertising of junk food to children.