SERIOUSLY overweight children in York and Selby could be given stomach surgery on the NHS, health chiefs revealed today, as it emerged as many as 7,000 youngsters in the area may be obese.

According to national figures, 16 per cent of all children between two and 15 are now classed as "medically obese".

When that figure is applied to Selby and York, it could account for as many as 7,000 children in this age group, according to the primary care trust's (PCT) director of public health, Rachel Johns.

"It's a significant issue for us as public health professionals," she said. "It's something that will make a really big difference to children. That's one of the reasons why we need to collect better data."

Now national healthcare watchdog NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) has released new draft guidance for how to tackle the soaring problem of childhood obesity - and has proposed that surgery should be put forward as an option for some children.

That could mean under-18s would face either stomach stapling or having a gastric band inserted, if doctors judged their condition was serious enough.

The organisation is currently inviting consultation on its proposals, with full guidance - the first to be issued on the subject in England - to come out later in the year. Under its suggestions, surgery would be an option on young people who have reached "physiological maturity".

Selby and York PCT has said it will consider surgery as an option for children on a case by case basis.

Primary care medical director and York GP Dr David Geddes said he thought this would be justified in some very severe cases.

"Because of the seriousness of the impact of morbid obesity, we need to recognise that on occasion high risk procedures maybe have to be considered to help reduce risks of premature death as a result of their obesity," he said.

"It's pretty rare surgery (but) we are looking at life-saving surgery."

Today GPs in York said rates of childhood obesity in the area were on the rise, but voiced concerns about surgical intervention in younger people.

Some also said it was rare that parents recognised being overweight as a problem in their children.

Dr William Obenden, from York Medical Group, said: "We've had lots of overweight children, but I would never consider sending young children for stomach stapling. I'm surprised that NICE are suggesting that.

"Most children are at a point where they can exercise, but adults or older people may have problems with knees or hips. I would be extremely reluctant to refer a child for surgery."

Dr James MacLeod, from the Abbey Medical Group on Hull Road, said he had seen cases of children whose weight was drastically higher than it should be for their age.

"I've been practising for 20 years and there's undoubtedly a significant increase in childhood obesity - exactly what it's down to is difficult to say," he said.

"Certainly diet - children eat crisps and drink fizzy drinks. There's also a significant reduction in the amount of exercise that a lot of them take."

A PCT spokesman said: "Selby and York Primary Care Trust welcomes NICE guidance in this area, and will look carefully at all the details, giving consideration to all the evidence in relation to options for surgical intervention, taking advice from specialist advisors and clinicians, in order to make the right decisions for patients of any age on an individual basis.

"Following national discussions the PCT is working alongside other PCTs in North Yorkshire to collect rates of childhood obesity.

"Selby and York PCT together with its partner organisations has developed an obesity strategy with the aim of working to prevent obesity in all ages through education and training."

Dr Geddes advised anyone wanting to know more about sensible dieting to talk to nurses at York's walk-in centre in Monkgate, or inquire at their own GP practice.

Inspirational Abi loses three stone in just one year

ABI Nelson should be an inspiration to dieters everywhere - and she's still only 14, writes Lucy Stephens.

At the beginning of last year she was 16 stone, at the age of just 13. But the determined teenager has been going to Slimming World classes with her mum, Sandra, since last March, and she has lost a whopping three-and-a-half stone in a year.

Abi is hoping to shed a further two stone, but says she already feels much happier.

"I was really depressed last March because of my weight. Now I'm so much happier," she said. "I used to get really bad headaches when I was bigger. Now I don't get as many. I'm so glad that I did it."

Sandra took Abi to a Slimming World class after realising something had to be done about her daughter's weight.

She said Abi, a Harrogate High School pupil, had gradually been piling on about a stone a year, reaching about nine stone when she was nine.

Now her daughter takes healthy food to school, like fruit and brown bread sandwiches, and, although she is still occasionally allowed fattening snacks like pizza, it is as a treat and not a normal meal.

Sandra said: "I'm so proud, because she's a more confident person, and I'm a more confident person. I think she sets a good example to show it can be done.

"I would say it's about tough love. You don't have treats readily available for them to eat."

Adam Tegerdine is a Slimming World consultant in York. The organisation launched its Family Affair programme nationally earlier this year, where free membership was offered to 11 to 15-year-olds if they were accompanied by a parent or guardian who was mainly responsible for their meals, with the agreement of their GP.

Adam said the scheme had had some take-up in York. He said: "I really do believe it is important to encourage a family-based approach to healthy eating.

"It is important we address these issues early on. Many of the adult members in my groups have already commented on how the changes that they have made to their own eating habits, as a result of following Food Optimising, have had a positive impact upon the health of the whole family, and I really do believe that this is where the approach to healthy living must begin, within the home.

"However, it is important society as a whole takes a responsibility for the increasing obesity problem, and looks at the messages we are portraying to children and adolescents."

Updated: 09:41 Thursday, March 23, 2006