Childhood Obesity in Lambeth

This report investigates the significant issue of childhood obesity among 10-11-year-olds in the Stockwell area of Lambeth, London. It begins by outlining the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity globally and in England, particularly highlighting the disproportionately high rates in Lambeth compared to national averages. The report then delves into the contributing factors, including a lack of physical activity, excessive caloric intake from readily available fast food, socioeconomic disparities, and sociocultural influences. The consequences of childhood obesity are explored, encompassing physical health problems, emotional and social difficulties, and academic challenges for affected children, as well as broader implications for the community and healthcare services. The report concludes with recommendations for interventions at various levels, including school-based initiatives promoting healthy eating and physical activity, community-level programs, and government policies aimed at restricting unhealthy food advertising and improving access to healthy options. The overall aim is to address this critical public health concern and improve the well-being of children in Lambeth.

Final Report

Table of Contents
Report issue.....................................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Overview of urban health issue....................................................................................................2
Rationale of urban health issue........................................................................................................2
Child obesity in Lambeth.............................................................................................................4
Determinants impact on health issue...............................................................................................6
 Lack of physical activity.......................................................................................................6
 Excess caloric intake.............................................................................................................6
 High-income age group with high socio-economic status....................................................6
 Age and female gender.........................................................................................................7
 Sociocultural factor and urbanization...................................................................................7
Public health consequences & implications....................................................................................7
Strategies and interventions.............................................................................................................8
Recommendations............................................................................................................................9
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11

Report issue
A report is on health issue on the childhood obesity age group of 10-11 children in the Lambeth
borough of London.
Introduction
In this present paper, we will discuss the report on an urban health issue of childhood obesity
among the age group of 10-11 children in the Stockwell within the borough of Lambeth. The
paper also describe the rationale if choosing childhood obesity as an urban health issue,
determinants which impacts on the childhood obesity in the wider context, public health
consequences and implications of childhood obesity that impacts on the general population,
health services, and an individual, strategies, and interventions to address the childhood obesity,
and recommendations has been made on the basis of analysis.
Overview of urban health issue
Over the past several years it is found that prevalence of overweight and obesity has been
tremendously increasing and approximately 170 Million children are overweight globally. It is
founded on the study that higher rate of childhood overweight is in upper-middle class income
countries
The childhood obesity in England is rapidly increasing in the last few years which is a major
problem faced by London. According to the London government health report (2009-10), it is
shown that there is 11.6 % children from the age group of 4-5 years are suffering from obesity
and 21.8% of children from the age group of 10-11 years are facing obesity. Over the past three

years, the percentage is at risk of being obese in which boys are at greater risk as the comparison
to girls in the age group of 10-11 years (van Jaarsveld et al., 2015). There is insignificant
inequality in London, and in deprived areas, there is the higher prevalence of children at risk of
obesity. It is founded on the study that children from ethnic minority group such as the black
Caribbean, Black African, and Bangladeshi. Childhood obesity is linked to physiological and
psychological health problems. It is shown that the obesity among the children is linked with low
self-confidence, low self-image, and depression. It is shown that psychological problems among
the people are raising the age and evidence shows that obesity among the children, later on, the
increase with age and especially in girls. It is shown that one in four 11 years old children are
obese in Dagenham, Westminster, Barking, Greenwich, Lambeth, Southwark, Barking, and
Lambeth in 2013-14. It is found that obese has increased in 23 of London's 32 boroughs. It is
founded that obsess is higher in than the England average in 28 boroughs of London.
Rationale of urban health issue
According to the (Dina et al., 2007), it is found that childhood obesity is significantly increasing
in London and national data shows that approximately 17% of children aged between 5-19 years
are facing obesity. It is found that obesity in London is higher among the age group of 10-11
years then it is England on average whereas it is rising everywhere. It is found that quarter of
children of 11 years old are obese. It is shown in the below picture:

Source: van Jaarsveld, 2014
It is shown from medical evidence that obsesses children are having more heart attacks and
strokes in their life. It is founded on the study that new fast food outlets are open within 400
meters of schools which impact on the health of children's. According to the department of
Health, London it is shown that 22.4 % of eleven years old children’s were classed as obese in
the year 2013-14 which has been increased from 21.85% in the past four years. It is found that 24

out of 33 local authorities are having more than an average number of obese in the age group of
5-6 whereas 29 out of 33 are having higher than average numbers of obese among 11 years old.
It is found that out of eight boroughs which have more than quarter of obese in the age group of
11 years old the Southwark has 26.7%, Hackney has 26%, Barking has 26%, Greenwich has
25%, and Lambeth has 25% which shows that child obesity is the major urban health problem
which is currently faced by London (Madden et al., 2014). Stockwell is located in the borough of
Lambeth, London which comprises of an area of Lambeth, Battersea, and Bauxhall. According
to the census 2011, it is found that total population in Stockwell is approximately 14,777 of
which 52% are males, and 48% are females (Oteng-Ntim et al., 2015). It comprises of various
ethnic groups such as Jamaica, Nigeria, Ireland, Somalia, North Africa, Australia, Jamaica, and
South America. The obesity among the children's is considered as a major urban health issue
because it impacts on the overall health of the nation as it leads to major health issues such as
heart attack, diabetes, and others. Lambeth is the eighth most deprived borough in London, and it
stands on 22nd mots deprived in England whereas most deprived nations are mainly Stockwell
and Brixton. There are various health inequalities in Stockwell due to various factors such as
level of income, education, employment, housing, and others. The level of air population is also
high which impacts on the health of children's. It is founded that deprived places in Stockwell are
increasing by 3.2% among the medium income in the year 2015. It is found that local authority
dwellings which fall below the decent home standard are 54% and energy efficiency of private
sector housing is 67% (Shadbolt et al., 2016).It is one of the major health issues which need to be
considered by the government in order to improve the economic condition of the country through
improving health rate in London.

Child obesity in Lambeth
The total population in the Lambeth is 303,086 according to the 2011 census which means that
mean average is 34 and approximately 42.9% of the total population is minority ethnic
population. The analysis on children obesity is done through fetching data on three years from
the National child measurement programs in which children’s between 4-5 years are in reception
years and at the age 10-11 years are year6 (Shadbolt et al., 2016). According to the survey, it is
observed that nearly 11.3% of children's are suffering from obesity between the age of 4-5 years
and approximately 25.1% are suffering from obese under the age group of 10-11 years. It is
observed that within Lambeth Bishop's has highest obesity level at age 4-5 years which is nearly
14.7%b, and Ferndale has the highest proportion of children at age 10-11 years that is nearly
29.1% (Strauss et al., 2000).
According to the public health report, 2012 the population in Lambeth as there are total 283,300
residents in Lambeth in the year 2009 which is projected to increase 305,236 in the coming
years. There are total 370,000 people who are registered with 52 general practices in Lambeth.
According to the survey, Lambeth has a high level of deprivation. There is approximately fifty
percent population which are young and lies under the age of 20-44 years, and 37% of the
population mainly comes from black & minority ethnicity communities (Shadbolt et al., 2016).
There are approximately 130 languages which are spoken in Lambeth which includes two main
languages, namely, Portuguese and Yoruba. There are various environmental challenges in
Lambeth which needs to be improved as it is one of the few spearheads PCTs which is working
to narrow the life expectancy gap for men as well as for women. The life expectancy rate for
men is 75.7 years and for women is 81 years. The infant mortality is reducing, and it is 5.5 per
1000, but previously it was 8.8 per 1000 live births in Lambeth (Stamatakis et al., 2010).

Child obesity is tremendously increasing, and it is 25% among 10-11 years olds. The clinical and
non-clinical staff is working towards the development of a children’s healthy weight care
pathway in order to reduce obesity among the children’s (Must et al., 1991). According to the
survey, it is shown that Lambeth is one of the boroughs in London which has a higher level of
obesity as compared to outer London boroughs. According to the National child measurement
program, there are nearly 38.9% of children's under the age group of 10-11 years are suffering
from obesity which is higher than the national average of 33.9% (Visness et al., 2010). The total
numbers of children’s between four and five in Lambeth who are suffering from obesity are
22.7% which is more than the overall average of 22.6% (Shadbolt et al., 2016). In order to
prevent obesity among the children’s under the age of 10-11 years the Lambeth council has
launch “Ready steady go program” in partnership with obesity prevention campaign (James et
al., 2004).
According to the national child measurement program, the obesity rate in reception pupils in
Lambeth was 12.1%n in the year 2010-2011 and 10.7% in the year 2011-12 (Gibbs et al., 2016).
Below figure shows Lambeth obesity rate as compared to the national and regional data.
Source: van Jaarsveld, 2014

According to the research studies, Lambeth is ranked 27th in England out of 149 for the index for
multiple deprivation scores, and it is determined that approximately 74.6% are under the age of
18 as compared to the national average of 25.5%. It is expected that total population is increased
by 9.2% between the years 2011 and 2020 as compared to the national estimate which is 7.8%
(Shadbol et al., 2013). According to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, Post
2003 the childhood obesity is directly situated with low self-confidence, depression,
psychological health problems, and others. It leads to the transfer of obesity among the adults,
and there is approximately 70% chance of obesity among the individuals from childhood to
adults which lead to developing a range of chronic diseases, for example, coronary heart disease,
diabetes, and others. There are approximately 20.5% of children's in Lambeth which are under
poverty line that directly impacts on the health of an individual within the specific period of time
(Impey et al., 2015).
Determinants impact on health issue
The key determinants in London are not very different from other developing countries key
determinants because there are various common problems such as faulty dietary habits, reduction
in physical activity, and others. Following are the main key determinants in the UK which
impact on children obesity:
 Lack of physical activity
In the developed countries people are overindulge in indoor activities such as entertainment and
activities which reduce physical practice of children's and other combination of factors for
example unsafe environment, improper facilities of playground and parks leads to increase the
pressure on children's to perform in academics whereas it reduce the emphasis on sports that

directly impacts on the health of children's in London. The sedentary activities include video
games, television, the internet, and other media. According to the national survey, in the UK it is
found that children's from the age group of between 8-18 years are watching media
approximately 7.5 hours daily and it is found that television is one of the most influencing
factors which leads to an obesity among the children's (Gunnell et al., 1998). There is a direct
relationship between obesity and use of media as it is found that children's who are watching
media more are suffering from obesity as children used to eat at the time of using media which
accumulate fat due to the lack of physical activity.
 Excess caloric intake
As it is founded in the research that fast food restaurants are within 400 meters of schools which
increase the availability of fast food for the children's that directly impacts on the health of
children's and there is no restriction in schools for accessing fast food as the schools has vending
machines which increase caloric intake among the students which lead to increase the weight per
day (Cole et al., 2000).
 High-income age group with high socio-economic status
The high-income individual provides huge amount of pocket money to their children's which
enable to access fast food that leads to increasing the intake calories of foods among the
children's. The children's area community from school to their homes by bicycle, bus or any
other private convince which allow them to intake fast food that leads. Advertisements by fast
food companies attract children's from taking fast food that impact on the health of an individual
severely.

 Age and female gender
It is founded in the studies that obesity is most founded at the pre-pubertal age rather than post-
pubertal age as the children’s become self-conscious among post-pubertal children related to the
physical appearance and weight. Females are mostly engaged in household activities due to
which they are less involved in physical activities such as outdoor doors due to which obesity is
developed among the females in childhood. It is also found that there is a strong belief against
sports and outdoor activities for girls who leads to develop obesity among the children's.
 Sociocultural factor and urbanization
It is founded on the study that parents are overprotective regarding the health of their children’s
due to which they overfed them and due to false traditional beliefs related to health and nutrition
contributes towards obesity. Lack of knowledge related to proper dietary impacts on the health of
children's. There is a large number of fast food outlets in London which impacts on the health of
children's through providing large access of fast food that directly contributes towards the
obesity within the specific period of time. In London, there is the large availability of door to
door service which impacts on the health of children's (Madden et al., 2014).
Public health consequences & implications
The childhood obesity directly impacts on the physical health, emotional wellbeing, social, and
self-esteem of children’s. Following are the potential consequences and implications of
childhood obesity on an individual, general public, and health services:
An individual
 Medical consequences

The childhood obesity is linked with various medical conditions which include fatty liver
disease, asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other that impacts on the physical
activity of children's. It also has negative consequences through the adulthood which may
result in death (Deckelbaum et al., 2001).
 Socio-emotional consequences
The childhood obesity affects social and emotional health as it is one of the socially
unacceptable conditions in childhood. There are various other hardships which are faced
by children’s suffering from obesity such as discrimination, negative stereotype, social
marginalization, and others. The children’s who are suffering from obesity are generally
out from competitive activities because they are not able to do physical activity. These
negative social problems lead to low self-esteem which impacts on the academic
performance of an individual. The social consequences impacts on the difficulty in
maintaining weight management and due to negative comments from others they are
retreating to safe places such as homes which lead to less social interaction with others
and it leads to inevitable results as the amount of calories exceeds the amount of energy
burned (Hill et al., 1998).
 Academic consequences
The consequences of childhood obesity include academic consequences as it is founded
on the research study that students suffering from obesity are four times more likely to
have problems at schools than normal weight students. The obese children's are more
frequently miss schools due to various health problems such as diabetes, asthma, and
others (Gennuso et al., 1998).
General public