London, Dec 15 (ANI): One in 10 British children is likely to become obese by 2015, reveals a new study.

The research team from University College London insists that if the current trend continues 10.1 per cent of boys and 8.9 per cent of girls aged between two and 10 will be obese within six years, with poor families being most affected.

The childhood obesity epidemic is being blamed on “supersize” portions, lack of physical activity and the increased consumption of sugary drinks, fast food and sweets.

“If trends continue as they have been between 1995 and 2007, in 2015 the number and prevalence of obese young people is projected to increase dramatically - and these increases will affect lower social classes to a larger extent,” the Daily Express quoted epidemiologist Dr Emmanuel Stamatakis, of University College London as saying.

According to the study, prevalence of obesity among children from manual worker class households will be 10.7 per cent for boys and 11.2 per cent for girls, compared with 7.9 per cent for boys and 5.4 per cent for girls from non-manual households

In 1995 child obesity levels stood at just 3.1 per cent for boys and 5.2 per cent for girls. By 2007 they had risen to 6.9 and 7.4 per cent respectively.

The study is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. (ANI)