(UK) Southend: one in three 10, 11yos "medically overweight"; 'Childhood obesity one of biggest public health issues'
- The end of childhood
- Oct 11, 2025
- 3 min read
Oct 8, 2025, Essex Live: Local concern as number of obese children in Southend rising
SE England
Southend Council are considering interventions
Southend is known for being a hotspot for tourism, with people coming from all over Essex to enjoy the arcades, the fair, and the view over the estuary. When visiting the coastal city, a popular attraction is the fast food, which may be adding to the ‘obesity crisis’ seen in Southend.
In his latest Annual Public Health Report, Krishna Ramkhelawon, Southend's Director of Public Health, said: “Post-pandemic, the struggle to address childhood obesity has shown no sign of easing”. This is shown in the latest figures, which indicate that one in five children in Southend is overweight or obese before starting school, and one in three 10 and 11-year-olds in Southend are medically overweight.
The city has an above-average number of fast-food places, with 219 outlets, in areas that Southend Council deems to be the most deprived. The city council has said it is considering ways it could intervene to help young people avoid obesity. EssexLive spoke with residents about their reaction to the number of children considered obese in the city.
Southend local Annabelle, 42, said: “It’s all about education. I’m not surprised. People think it’s cheaper to feed your kids rubbish, and it probably is. They do what they’ve always known and give their kids what they were given.”
Annabelle said she tries to batch-cook meals and freeze them rather than relying on fast food or ready meals. “It isn’t that difficult. There’s so many [recipe] apps, YouTube, and free resources," she said.
To parents who might not have a lot of time to cook, Annabelle said: “Feed [your children] with what you eat, but with less salt. If you’ve had time to have a kid, you should have 20 minutes to cook them some food. People need to be shown that you can feed your kids well without spending loads of money.” . . .
Adrian does not believe that local fast food restaurants are necessarily to blame. “What they do is supply and demand. It’s a business,” he said. “They’re only catering to the demand that’s there.”While he agrees that Southend Council could intervene by restricting fast food businesses from being close to schools, ultimately, he believes it’s a bigger problem for local people. “If you look up and down the high street, it’s just restaurants. There’s got to be an attitude shift.”“I don’t see [not having enough time] as an excuse. If you want to achieve something, you need to make time– especially when it comes to your children. I don't think there’s anything wrong with fish and chips, or a burger, but it’s what it’s combined with.”
Giving children a highly processed diet, for Adrian, is inexcusable. He added: “You’re killing your child.” . . .
Cllr Maxine Sadza, Cabinet Member for Social Care and Healthier Communities, said: “Childhood obesity is one of the biggest public health issues facing Southend, and the UK. We are looking at a whole range of preventative measures to tackle this, from healthy eating and menus in primary schools to increased physical activity through our leisure centres, as well as targeted support for the most vulnerable communities, such as weight management in our family centres.
“We know how challenging it can be to provide healthy meals at home for low-income families and that there is a higher proportion of fast-food outlets within these communities. The rise of online food delivery apps can make it even more challenging to make healthier choices after a tough day of work or looking after families. . . .
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