ONE in four children in Worcestershire starting school are either overweight or obese, and by the time they are aged 11 the proportion has risen to almost one in three.

The scale of the problem is revealed in the latest figures from the National Child Measurement Programme, which showed that 25.5 per cent of 4,397 four and five-year-olds who were weighed and measured in the county are overweight or obese.

That figure rises to 30.3 per cent (1,389 out of 4,583) at age 10 and 11.

Liz Altay, Worcestershire Primary Care Trust's consultant in public health, said: "The figures are quite worrying, although they do fit very closely with the national picture.

"The number of overweight or obese children starting school is slightly above the national average, but by the time they get to year six, Worcestershire is below the national average.

"This suggests the work we are doing in schools is having a positive impact."

The National Child Measurement Programme was launched in 2005 with the aim of weighing and measuring every child on arrival in the reception year and again in year six, the last year of primary school.

From the statistics, their body mass index can be calculated and compared with the ideal for their age and gender.

In 2006-07, 82 per cent (4,397) of reception class pupils in Worcestershire were weighed and measured, and 76 per cent of year six (4,583).

The figures revealed that of those youngest children, 15.7 per cent (692) were overweight and 9.8 per cent (432) were obese.

At age 10 or 11, 15 per cent of children were overweight (692) and 15 per cent (697) were obese.

"Obesity is a huge public health issue nationally," said Mrs Altay. "There are a number of initiatives already in place in schools, such as healthy eating and physical exercise programmes, which are helping.

By carrying out this programme of weighing and measuring children it allows us to see the true scale of the problem and look at where we need to focus our resources.

"Later this year we are launching our childhood obesity strategy, which will look at ways to tackle the obesity problem."

Worcestershire Primary Care Trust is now working through the schools weighing this year's reception and year six classes, the results of which will be available early next year.

"This year we are hoping to weigh about 85 per cent of children, which will build on the picture for the county," Mrs Altay said.