Probably the most accurate picture yet of the level of child obesity in this area has been painted.

The statistics have come to light as letters are sent out to the parents of around 7,000 youngsters telling them which weight category their child falls into. Hopefully, it will spur their parents into action and follow the helpful advice and tips with it.

Public health experts say the letters are not about finger pointing — they are about equipping parents with the information they need to help children live healthier lives.

A second aspect has been revealed by the research — the weight and measurement information is identifying a link between obesity and areas with high level of deprivation. More work has to be done before drawing firm conclusions.

This said, the good news is that across the district there are some encouraging trends showing a fall in obesity levels.

At the moment we are rightly being swamped with a tidal wave of information about diet and exercise. Surely these days ignorance of the facts about how to live a healthy life cannot be accepted as an excuse for allowing a child’s health to be put at risk.

There is an obvious parental solution — mainly cost free — which will help. Follow the advice and make sure your child has at least 60 minutes of exercise a day — this can include just running around in playgrounds. On the home front get your child up and about — it may help to restrict how long they sit in front of TV, computer or video games to two hours. It is cure or kill.