NO ONE should be complacent when it comes to childhood obesity. The latest statistics show that, despite their best efforts, health officials have struggled to get on top of the problem.

According to the figures, the situation is no better than it was in 2006/7, in fact it is slightly worse.

There are a number of ways that childhood obesity can be tackled.

Firstly parents at home must set a good example and make sure their children’s meals contain fresh fruit and vegetables.

Mums and dads will be only too well aware that it is harder to get children to eat up a plate full of vegetables than packets of crisps and chocolates but it is worth persevering with, otherwise youngsters are likely to end up overweight.

Too much fast food and fizzy drinks won’t do too much harm as an occasional treat but problems will begin if they become an integral part of a child’s diet.

Schools also need to encourage children to take up sports and if children do not enjoy contact sports there may be other games they can be persuaded to play to help them stay fit.

Children in the county are marginally better off than those elsewhere in the UK when it comes to being overweight and obese but there is clearly no room for complacency.

Now that the county council is in charge of trying to tackle this problem it needs to consider if it is putting enough resources into its health initiatives.

If children become overweight and obese at a young age, they will be storing up health problems for the future.

Now is the right time for overweight children in Oxfordshire to take the first steps towards getting fit.