The changing lifestyles behind childhood obesity

High levels of childhood obesity in the North East have been linked to poverty and industrial decline - as well as changes to family lifestyles, and the easy availability of unhealthy foods.

On the second day of our 'Focus on Obesity' series, we are looking at the causes of the problem, hearing a GP's advice - and spending time with one family from Blyth in Northumberland, trying to set a good example for their children.

Watch today's coverage:

A public health problem

As we heard yesterday, more than a third of children in the North East are categorised as overweight or obese at the end of primary school - one of the highest rates of any area in the UK.

Read More: The scale of the North East's childhood obesity problem

This is part of wider problems in public health in our region - closely associated with deprivation and the decline of heavy industry.

Former mining towns and industrial communities have particularly high pockets of obesity among adults - attributed to manual labour being replaced by more sedentary jobs, and workers not compensating by increasing their exercise or reducing their diets.

Setting an example

Newsham Primary School in Blyth has won awards for its healthy lunches - and it now invites parents in once a month to eat with their children.

Headteacher Anne-Marie Armstrong says this raises awareness of the importance of eating well among both parents and children, and also the value of sitting down for a meal together.

Meet the Andersons

David and Donna Anderson have both lost more than 3 stone since having their children.

They both work - and admit it is hard to to get their children - Ben, 11, and Charlie, 6, away from the television, and find time to make healthy dinners and sit down to eat them together - as well as getting enough exercise.

But their persistence seems to be paying off.

DR HILARY'S ADVICE TO PARENTS:

Our series 'Focus on Obesity' continues tonight at 6pm on ITV Tyne Tees