British kids in need of critical NHS treatment for fat-related conditions reaches record figure
KIDS are eating themselves into an early grave with record numbers needing critical NHS treatment for fat-related conditions. A Sun investigation found hospital cases involving obese under-18s has doubled in the past five years to hit 9,196. NHS Digital statistics show 459 kids needed treatment last year for potentially fatal sleep apnoea — an 87 […]
KIDS are eating themselves into an early grave with record numbers needing critical NHS treatment for fat-related conditions.
A Sun investigation found hospital cases involving obese under-18s has doubled in the past five years to hit 9,196.
NHS Digital statistics show 459 kids needed treatment last year for potentially fatal sleep apnoea — an 87 per cent rise on 2014/15.
There was also a 31 per cent increase in gallstone treatments.
Campaigners said it is shocking children are now being treated for conditions once only found in adults. The stats also reveal more kids are getting knee injuries due to weight.
NHS England boss Simon Stevens warned the nation’s young are being “swallowed by a rising tide of obesity”. And he said: “These numbers are only the tip of the iceberg.”
Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said: “This is proof the child obesity timebomb has long since exploded.”
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The warnings come as NHS figures for past year show the number of under-20s diagnosed with type 2 diabetes topped 2,000 for the first time — doubling in three years.
Officials also predict nearly 40 per cent of kids will leave primary school overweight by 2024.
Former top doc Professor Dame Sally Davies will this week call for an expansion of the sugar tax.
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