UK - Luton -Kids’ health hit by poverty – review

Kids’ health hit by poverty – review
Published on Saturday 28 July 2012 09:55
POVERTY-STRICKEN and suffering a range of health problems – that’s the reality for thousands of children living in Luton, a new health review has found, writes Connie Primmer.
Statistics from the Health and Social Care Review Group show 28.4 per cent of Luton children live in poverty, and there is a significantly higher prevalence of certain health problems than in the rest of England.
For example, 11.2 per cent of age four-five children are obese, compared with the Bedfordshire average of 8.6 per cent. Nearly half of Luton’s five-year-olds have tooth decay, missing and filled teeth (44 per cent) compared with the England average of 31 per cent.
Deputy Director of Health Morag Stewart said: “There is a link with social deprivation – it tends to be families with social deprivation who have poorer health.
“What affects them as children tends to follow them in adulthood and this is what we want to prevent.”
It’s not just weight that’s a problem in Luton. The prevalence of mental health disorders in children and young people is estimated to be 25 per cent higher than the national............