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London: Social workers will have to take "dangerously overweight" children from their parents and put them into care if the obesity epidemic continues, town hall chiefs warned on Friday.
The Local Government Association (LGA), representing over 400 councils in England and Wales, said seriously fat children should be classed as examples of "parental neglect".
The warning came as it was revealed the cost of dealing with "fat Britain" is soaring every year and could even impact on council tax bills. It has been estimated that by 2012 one million children in England will be obese and by 2025 almost a quarter of boys will be classed as dangerously overweight.
The LGA said that as the obesity problem became worse, and it was likely local authorities would have to step in more and more by putting children under review and offering help and advice to parents.
It said Britain was fast becoming the "obesity capital of the world" and more should be done to tackle the problem. David Rogers, LGA spokesman on public health, said: "Councils are increasingly having to consider taking action where parents are putting children's health in danger. "
The cost of treating seriously overweight people now tops £1 billion (Dh6.9 billion) a year. Public health expert Professor David Hunter declared that obesity posed as big a risk to Britain as terrorism.
- Evening Standard
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