Ten times as many children are severely obese now as was the case thirty years ago, official figures show.

Data from Public Health England (PHE) shows record numbers of children classed as severely obese by the time they leave primary school.

In just ten years, the percentage of 11-year-olds with extreme weight problems has risen by more than a fifth in ten years, the analysis shows.

Over three decades, the trend is even more stark. In total, 4.1 per cent of such children are now classed as “severely obese” - compared with just 0.4 per cent in 1990.

Officials said the trend was “extremely worrying” and showed the need for bold action to tackle the threat to children’s health.

Boys are the most likely to carry such extreme weight problems, with 4.78 per cent of them classed as severely obese by the time they leave primary school, along with 3.33 per cent of girls. Children are deemed severely obese if they are above the 99.6th percentile on growth charts from 1990, which were based on typical measurements at the time.

Today, 22,000 children in year six at school are in this category, the new statistics show.

Last month ministers announced an updated childhood obesity plan including proposals to ban on advertising of unhealthy foods on television before the 9pm watershed, and two-for-one deals on such foods. Mandatory calorie labelling on menus is also planned, while a sugar tax may be extended to cover milky drinks.