BY NICOLA JAMES

PUBLIC Health England has launched a campaign encouraging parents to get 'sugar smart' after figures revealed more than one in four 10 and 11-year-olds in Dorset are overweight or obese.

The organisation said children aged between four and 10 consume an estimated 5,500 sugar cubes a year – the same weight as an average five-year-old. Therefore parents are being urged to take control of their child's eating habits.

The figures said that although Dorset has fewer obese or overweight children than the average for the south west, experts say sugar consumption is still a concern.

As a person who has a younger 10-year-old brother I think it is crucial for parents and elder siblings to encourage healthy eating. I think a good way of doing this is simple leading by example.

My brother is a normal 10-year-old but if it was up to him he would spend his time gorging on sweets, fizzy drinks and processed foods.

Obviously we are all allowed our occasional treats and sugary snacks but it is about balance.

With the New Year a lot of people, including myself, are thinking are lot more about what they are eating.

My mum does her best to give me and my brother a healthy breakfast, lunch and tea every day and encourages us to take up sports and I think if you didn't have a parent who was motivated to do this a lot of children would be in a serious problem with their health.