"During the pandemic, many children were kept at home and did not move in the same way. This, together with poorer eating habits, can be contributing causes, says Christin Anderhov Eriksson, registered dietician at the child health care in Östergötland.
"Increases the older the children get"
The national study from Uppsala University included over 200,000 four-year-olds and in 2018 there were 514 overweight children in Östergötland. Two years later, the same age group had increased to 727.
"We also see that overweight and obesity increase the older the children become. If we look at 6-9 year olds, over 20 percent are overweight today," says Christin Anderhov Eriksson.
High food prices can lead to poorer eating habits
Now there is concern that the negative trend will continue, not least because of the high food prices, says Christin Anderhov Eriksson – who also highlights the importance of talking about the problem.
– We see that obesity has a major impact on children's future health and I unfortunately feel that there is a fear of talking about weight with children. It's not just about appearance, it's actually about keeping your body healthy and strong and in good health," she says.