The research found that children who live in less affluent areas of London were more likely to become obese. For example 33.2% of year 6 pupils from Barking & Dagenham were obese compared to just 12.8% of those in Richmond upon Thames.
According to the research 20 London Boroughs had over a quarter of obese year six pupils including Hounslow, Brent, Enfield, Tower Hamlets, Croydon and Redbridge.
Professor Christina Vogel, deputy director centre for Food Policy at City University, told the Standard it was due to: “Repeated exposure to unhealthy contexts, such as bombardment of takeaways, advertising and promotions for cheap, unhealthy foods.
“Children growing up in more affluent contexts do not experience the same levels of exposure. Inequalities in rates of obesity among primary school aged children have continued to widen over the past decade and this unfair and unjust.”