Mothers 'must learn obesity risk'

Childhood obesity is increasing in Britain

Parents should be taught how to prevent childhood obesity during ante-natal classes, the children's commissioner for England has said.

Al Aynsley-Green said it was "the biggest health problem affecting children today" with no "quick fix".

"Chipping away at it must be the answer," he told the joint committee of the Lords and Commons on human rights.

Experts predict one in 10 UK children will be obese by 2010, as well as 12 million adults.

'Layered approach'

Professor Aynsley-Green said: "There's no one-size-fits-all or quick fix. We need a layered approach."

He added: "Education should start in ante-natal classes."

It has been suggested that parents pass their poor eating and exercise habits on to children

Last month, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said that half of UK children "drink" almost five litres of cooking oil every year as a result of their pack-a-day crisp habit.

Earlier this month more than 50 organisations, including the BHF, called for cookery lessons to be made compulsory in England's schools.

Professor Aynsley-Green said there would be "ferocious" difficulty in tackling childhood obesity.

In July, Prime Minister Tony Blair said that failure to address bad lifestyles was putting an "increasing strain" on the health service and was hindering efforts to outlaw social inequalities.