THE NUMBER of overweight and obese children has soared in recent years, according to a new study.

The research, published in the British Medical Journal (January 2001, No 7277 Volume 322), found the proportion of overweight English boys had almost doubled in ten years, despite little change in the preceding decade. Nine per cent were found to be overweight in 1994, a huge jump from the corresponding figure of five per cent in 1984.

The proportion of overweight English girls rose from nine per cent to over thirteen percent in the same period, while more than three per cent of Scottish girls are now classified as clinically obese. As overweight youngsters often become overweight or obese adults, the implications for future public health are grim. Being overweight increases the risk of numerous illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes.

The researchers from King's College, London, speculated that the trend was not due to a poorer diet but to decreased levels of exercise. A similar conclusion was drawn in a survey carried out in 1998 by the Department of Health, which found that almost half of all children are doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. However, walking is an easy and accessible exercise that burns calories and protects against the risk of heart disease. It can be readily introduced into children's lives as a form of environmentally-friendly transport and an alternative to jumping in the car for short journeys.

Educationally, walking in the countryside can be a powerful learning tool - not just for discovering and identifying wildlife, but also for understanding rural life. If the health prospects of our youngsters are to be improved it is vital that walking is encouraged in as many ways as possible.