The bariatric wheelchair at Canberra Hospital is so vast that six-month-old William Reeve barely takes up one back corner of its base. But, official figures have revealed, by the time he reaches adulthood he stands a better-than-average chance of filling the mobility aid.
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One in five girls entering kindergarten in the ACT are classified as overweight and obese and boys are faring little better - about one in eight are above the healthy weight range, ACT Health statistics show.
Since 2005, the territory has been collecting data on the weight and health of children entering formal schooling. The program has an 83 per cent participation rate and growth in preschool obesity has led Louise Baur, a professor of paediatrics and child health at the University of Sydney, to urge state governments to address growing waistlines before children enter classrooms.
''It is clear there has been an increase in combined overweight and obesity in both sexes,'' Professor Baur said. ''It does raise concerns that, at the time of school entry, a high proportion are overweight.''
She said most intervention focused on school-aged children but the problem was occurring much sooner.
''That is where the biggest funding occurs, rather than under five, and we have increasing evidence internationally that this is a problem before kids start school,'' Professor Baur said.
She said children who entered kindergarten overweight were more likely to become obese.
''You run the risk of staying bigger or getting bigger,'' she said. ''Your habits are being set, activity time, TV time, it's becoming established at that time.
''And while it's not impossible to undo, it's harder than if you start with a healthy lifestyle and weight. It's a red flag in kindy - this child is likely to have problems later on.''
Professor Baur said children who were overweight or obese from the ages of two and above visited GPs and paediatricians more frequently, were more likely to be seen at a tertiary hospital and were more likely to be admitted for a long stay in hospital.
''All the while they are not treated for the obesity,'' she said.
But Kirsty Douglas, director of the Academic Unit of General Practice at ACT Health, said that although body-mass index was the best measure of obesity available, it was problematic for children if not considered along with ethnicity.
Professor Douglas said ACT Health was working to improve the screening program to help parents understand how to make healthier choices for their children. But Professor Baur said not enough was being done even after successive taskforces had made sensible recommendations.
Professor Baur said that the government had to intervene to make it easier for parents by planning safe play areas in new suburbs, improving food labelling and outlawing the unhealthy food advertising aimed at children.
''There is sophisticated marketing of unhealthy food to kids from fast food to junk food and soft drinks,'' Professor Baur said.
''It's a significant issue - there needs to be societal change.''
Dr Baur said industry guidelines on advertising to children were not working and food was engineered by some companies to be a blend of sweet and salty, and light enough to turn off the body's natural full point.
''The national taskforce a few years ago was incredible and I would advocate that all those recommendations were implemented, including legislation on food marketing, to children and the issue of clear, coherent food labelling,'' she said.
''Self-regulation on food marketing to children I do not believe is working - you only have to ask parents.''
