Obesity

The scale of childhood obesity has been exaggerated, researchers have claimed.

The Social Issues Research Council (SIRC), which is funded by food companies as well as the government, said average child weights have only risen slightly.

SIRC, which compared average weights in 1995 and 2003, said obesity levels have started to rise among older teenagers but the middle-aged were most at risk.

However, the National Obesity Forum insisted childhood obesity was increasing and had to be addressed.

Stakeholder Response: British Retail Consortium (BRC)

Sarah Winterton, director of public affairs at the BRC, said: "Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of Children and Young People Aged four to 18 years shows that boys derived a mean of 35.4 per cent of their food energy from fat and girls 35.9 per cent.  Given that the dietary reference value for total dietary fat intake is set at 35 per cent of food energy, the data suggests that over consumption of fat is not the issue.