A MEMBER of Bradford Council's Executive said they would investigate concerns that children are able to buy high sugar energy drinks in the district's leisure centres.

The issue was raised during a discussion on how almost 38 per cent of 11-year-olds in the district were overweight.

Bradford Council's Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee were discussing a number of public health issues at a meeting on Thursday, one of which was excess weight and obesity in children.

The latest figures show that in Bradford around 22 per cent of reception aged children were classed as overweight or obese.

But by the time they reached Year 6 at the end of primary school, that had risen to 37.9 per cent. The UK average is 34.2 per cent.

And the committee was told the percentage was slowly rising each year.

Toni Williams from Public Health Bradford said there was a range of things being done to improve the health of young people in the district, from teaching healthy eating to encouraging children to exercise more.

She added: "It is very complex, it is not just about eating the wrong foods, it can also be about the environment you live in. It is important that we make it so healthy decisions are the default choice for children."

During the discussion Councillor Nicola Pollard (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) said: "I was appalled to see recently children purchasing a Monster energy drink from one of the vending machines in one of the district's swimming pools. Why are we selling these types of drinks to children in our swimming pools?"

The government recently announced that it is planning to ban the sale of high caffeine, high sugar energy drinks like Monster to under 18s.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Executive for Environment, Sport and Culture, said she would raise the issue with officers immediately.

Miss Williams added: "It is important to promote that idea of corporate responsibility, to get businesses to sign up to a commitment to improving public health.

"It could be things like providing water fountains to give people the option to have free water when they are out, rather than purchase a sugary drink."