Parents do not always recognise when their child is overweight according to a new survey conducted by Public Health Wales.

In the survey, just four per cent of parents with children aged four to five described their child as being overweight for their age and height.

However, the 2015/16 Child Measurement Programme results show that just over a quarter (26 per cent) of children aged four to five are overweight or obese in Wales.

A new programme, Every Child Wales, was launched on Monday, July 24 aimed at improve the health and wellbeing of the nation’s children.

The venture plans to provide information and advice to support parents in giving children a happy and healthy start in life. A new Every Child Wales website will help parents from the time they are planning their pregnancy to when their child is five. The information is available at www.everychildwales.co.uk.

Dr Julie Bishop, director of health improvement for Public Health Wales said, ‘Every child deserves the best possible start in life. If a child spends their early years healthy and happy, they are more likely to grow into healthy and happy adults.

‘Many parents may not realise that their child is overweight, or they may not be aware that it’s something to take seriously. When children are a healthy weight, they feel better about themselves, and they find it easier to play and learn.

‘A child who is overweight at five is more likely to be obese by the time they are eight, and could grow up to develop long term health problems like Type 2 diabetes or asthma’.