CHILD obesity in Jersey is more prevalent than in the UK and could pose a dangerous problem if not curbed soon, says dietician Diane Smith.

Children in the Island are dangerously overweight and twice as many five-year-olds born in Jersey in 1995 had higher body mass index scores than UK children born in the same year.

In an effort to understand the full extent of the problem, health professionals working for Health and Social Services have launched the Family Project – an active scheme to educate and support overweight children in establishing life-long healthy eating and lifestyle habits.

It aims to recruit young people between six and 14 years old who are very overweight or obese to take part in workshops providing healthy eating information and opportunities to try different sports and activities.

Dietician and project co-ordinator Diane Smith says there is an urgent need to treat and prevent child obesity in the Island.

Recent UK statistics show that 30 per cent of children aged two to 15 are now overweight or obese and local statistics suggest that the problem may be even bigger in Jersey.