Urgent action is needed to improve the health of people in Scotland after an official report found 30 per cent of children are not at a healthy weight, Cancer Research UK has said.
The Scottish Health Survey “paints a bleak picture”, the charity said.
Commissioned by the Scottish government, the annual survey found 16 per cent of children at risk of obesity.
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This increased significantly with age, from 11 per cent of those aged two to six to 21 per cent of those aged 12 to 15.
Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s cancer prevention expert, based at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking so this report, which holds a mirror up to the health of the nation, paints a bleak picture.
“It’s clear that urgent action is needed to help guide Scots onto the path of better health.”
The survey, which also looked at data for adults, found just 15 per cent of children ate the recommended five portions of fruit or vegetables a day, while 10 per cent of children did not have any fruit or vegetables on the day before being asked.
Calling for action to restrict deals for unhealthy food, Prof Bauld added: “To break the grip of this obesity epidemic, laws are needed to restrict multi-buy offers on unhealthy food and drink.
“Plans in the recent Programme for Government to introduce these laws won the approval of the public, as well as Scotland’s medical community.
“Given Scotland’s obesity problem, politicians now have a duty to make sure this happens before the next Scottish Parliament elections.
“The health of our nation depends upon it.”
The survey, which polled 4,810 adults and 1,983 children across Scotland, did find non-diet soft drink consumption has “fallen considerably” for both groups.
In 2018, 10 per cent of adults drank sugary drinks every day, down from 20 per cent in 2016, while 16 per cent of children between two and 15 consumed non-diet soft drinks daily, down from 35 per cent two years ago and a reduction from between 38 per cent and 39 per cent in the years 2008-2009 to 2013-2014.
Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton described mental ill health as being “at crisis levels”.
He said: “Far too many critical measures of Scotland’s heath are stagnating.
“Deep-seated unhealthy lifestyle choices are having a serious impact on our physical wellbeing and causing an obesity epidemic.
“These figures show the urgent need to make a transformative investment in mental health and for public health interventions on the scale of the smoking ban, only this time focusing on Scotland’s poor diet and lack of activity.”
Annie Wells, the Scottish Conservative mental health spokeswoman said: “During their decade in power, the SNP has profoundly failed to improve the physical and mental well-being of Scots.
“The SNP’s public health approach has failed and their mismanagement of the NHS has also made it harder for Scots to access help when they need it.
“Mental health waiting times are at an all-time high and anti-depressant prescription is also increasing despite the SNP’s promise to reduce it.”
Data on childhood obesity and poverty will be gathered and analysed to tackle the problems as part of a Unicef project with the University of Edinburgh and the Scottish government, Tes reported yesterday.
The Data for Children Collaborative project will see scientists in Edinburgh examine a vast range of information, including what children are eating and their exercise habits, and how these are influenced by different settings and locations.
