LEWISHAM Council is being asked to consider ‘no-fry zones’ around all its schools and leisure centres in a bid to tackle childhood obesity.

Figures from the London Health Observatory (LHO) show 10.6 per cent of reception class children are obese in Lewisham.

This rises to 25.3 per cent in Year 6 children, which is considerably higher than the figure for England of 18.3 per cent.

LHO works in partnership with the NHS to provide information which policy makers and practitioners use to improve health care.

Mayor of Lewisham Sir Steve Bullock will be asked to consider ‘no-fry zones’ at the next council meeting on Wednesday (January 27).

If agreed by councillors it would mean no new fast food takeaways, such as kebab shops, will be allowed to open within 400m of a school.

Donna Gayle, of New Cross, said: “One of my sons is 16 and I am concerned with him always going to the chicken and chip shop.”

The mother-of-five added: “I would like the zones to work but I don’t know if they would. I’d prefer healthy places to open up near schools instead of takeway shops.”

Green Party councillor Ute Michel said: “Our children’s health actually gets far worse, not better, during their school careers.

“During that time they are in the care of the council and schools, so we cannot pretend it is not our problem."

The Greens say the restricted zones should be combined with a drive to help existing takeaways reduce the salt, fat and sugar content of their food.

Cllr Michel added: “Despite progress in making school meals healthier and teaching about healthy diets, takeaways are fuelling junk food culture just outside the school gate and undoing much of that good work.”