A growing crisis - childhood obesity levels are on the rise

Our school children are getting fatter. Britain's childhood obesity crisis is so bad that for the first time this year in one area of London half the children leaving primary school were overweight or obese.

The figures across the south are slightly better than the UK as a whole but still don't make happy reading.

In Portsmouth 35.9 percent of 11 year-olds are overweight or obese. On the Isle of Wight, it's 35.7 percent. In Reading 32.9 are overweight. While in Medway 35.5 percent. Brighton has the lowest levels - but still a quarter (25.4%) of all children leaving primary school have a weight problem.

So what can we do about it? Well the Dutch capital Amsterdam may hold some answers after the city decided to tackle to the problem four years ago.

One in five children there was overweight and the authorities agreed run programmes to help try and change the way its children eat.

In Amsterdam attention was paid to poorer areas because poverty was seen as one of the main factors leading to unhealthy living.

Parents are now given help, schools have been made healthier. Transport around the city has become even more bike friendly and water fountains have sprung up to encourage children to avoid sugary drinks.