New figures have revealed that just under a fifth of children in year six in Dorset are obese.

The figures have been published by NHS England and are based on findings from the Government’s National Child Measurement Programme, which covers mainstream state-maintained schools.

The data has been compiled by the postcode address of the child, not the postcode address of their school and has been compiled for every local authority area in England. 

The estimated level of children across the Dorset Council area, in year six (between 10 and 11-years-old) to be obese is 18.1 per cent, which puts the local authority region about halfway in the list compiled by NHS England.

The area with the highest estimated proportion of obese children between 10 and 11-years-old is Sandwell  in the West Midlands with 31 per cent - almost a third.

Elsewhere in local authority areas near to Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole has a slightly higher proportion than Dorset with 19.7 per cent, as does Wiltshire, with 19.4 per cent

Neighbouring East Devon has a slightly lower percentage with 16.3, whilst the local authority area with the least amount of year six children with obesity is Epsom & Ewell in Surrey.