The issue of obesity among young people is a growing concern in more ways than one.

Poor diet, lack of exercise and ignorance of the best way to live a healthy lifestyle are among the factors contributing to the issue, and if it is not tackled it will impact on our society significantly over the coming generations.

The economic climate is also undoubtedly having an effect, with parents too often prepared to turn to quick and cheap food for their children.

This can be an incredibly difficult issue for parents. In many cases, they recognise the problem, but the wide availability of junk food and the increased time children spend sitting down in front of the television or playing on a video game are hard to counteract.

Which is why the approach of the MEND programme in Bradford is a welcome one. They are looking to tackle the issue among children from five to 13. Their schemes involve helping parents to improve their child’s behaviour and exercise habits as well as providing advice on nutritional value and other issues relating to food such as portion size.

No one is suggesting there are any easy solutions to the problems affecting the health of our children outlined here. But something has to be done. Overweight children are more likely to develop serious health problems when they are older, and their eating and lifestyle habits are storing up potentially serious and debilitating conditions.

Parents cannot just sit back and effectively allow this to happen.

The MEND programme run by the NHS in Bradford will provide support for those who want to make the change in their children’s lives, but the will must be there in the first place.

Hopefully both parent and child will take a new attitude away from the course which they can then pass on to the next generation so that the threat of obesity is driven back once and for all.