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Preventing obesity through exercising outdoors 'better than cure'

Preventing children from becoming overweight through exercising outdoors and education is the best way to help reduce obesity in the UK.

According to the British Medical Association (BMA), the UK must change its attitude to obesity to understand that prevention is better than cure. It estimates that one in five children are overweight, while one in ten are obese.

Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the BMA's Scottish General Practitioner's Committee, said: "What we are suggesting is that we have much more focus on children, ensuring that they have the right lifestyle information and don't actually end up obese."

He added that most schemes that have been introduced so far have not been effective.

Exercising outdoors has long been recognised as one way that children can maintain a healthy weight, however it also has a number of other benefits.

Parentline Plus recently said that outdoor play activities are important for child development, including the nurturing of social and emotional skills.