Councils are looking at new ways to take a more active role in tackling the country’s health problems as obesity levels remain worryingly high.

Research carried out by Public Health England (PHE) found that almost two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese.

For children in reception – those aged four or five – this figure stood at more than 20 per cent, while more than one in three in Year 6 were considered overweight or obese.

Since 2013, local authorities have taken greater responsibility when it comes to dealing with public health.

Now two new initiatives by Brent Council – where 44 per cent of primary school children are obese or overweight – are aimed at promoting healthy eating and a more active lifestyle.

Cllr Krupesh Hirani, responsible for community wellbeing at Brent Council, said: “Britain is one of the heaviest nations in Europe and there are some simple things we can all do to stay fit and healthy.

“These campaigns give pointers on ways we can stay active and improve our diet and feel the benefits as a result.

“Brent Council and our partners in the NHS and schools take childhood obesity very seriously and already have a combination of preventative and treatment approaches to improve the health and wellbeing of people, both young and old.”

Its ‘My Heart Beats for Brent’ scheme offers advice on how residents can get 30 minutes of exercise a day – the amount recommended by health officials.

And the ‘Slash Sugar’ campaign targets a reduced sugar intake, suggesting that people swap sugary items – such as fizzy drinks – for healthier alternatives.

Similar schemes have been promoted in neighbouring Harrow, including a healthy eating initiative across schools and the ‘Daily Mile’ recommendation that pupils are given a 15-minute walk as part of each day.

This has transferred to adults, with the ‘Harrow Health Walks’ programme giving more residents access to trained walk leaders and specific routes.

The council has also promoted the concept of outdoor gyms – something championed by the Government – and has worked to improve its outdoor spaces.

Cllr Varsha Parmar, responsible for health, equality and well-being, said: “Everyone knows that the way to combat obesity is to exercise and eat healthily.

“In Harrow, we have free schemes in place to assist our residents – from outdoor gyms that people can use by themselves to organised walks where you can make friends and get fit.

“We’re especially proud of our school initiatives – which include promoting nutrition and exercise through information and awards.

“They’re doing really well in showing young people, as well as parents and teachers, how to start well in life with a healthy body and mind.”

These moves sit alongside a government plan to reduce the number of calories in popular foods by 20 per cent by 2024.

According to a PHE report, depending on their age, overweight and obese boys consume between 140 to 500 calories too many each day.

For girls, it is 160 to 290 when compared to those with healthy body weights, while overweight and obese adults consume, on average, 200 to 300 calories too many each day.

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of PHE, said: “The simple truth is on average we need to eat less.

“Children and adults routinely eat too many calories and it’s why so many are overweight or obese.

“Industry can help families by finding innovative ways to lower the calories in the food we all enjoy and promoting UK business leadership on the world stage in tackling obesity.”

He added that he was pleased to see that more hospitals have committed to removing sugary drinks from their canteens, shops and vending machines.