The region is building up a health timebomb with a quarter of reception-age youngsters overweight or obese in Birmingham.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has released research showing that huge numbers of youngsters aren’t getting enough fruit and vegetables, but constantly gorge themselves on sweets and chocolate.

Almost eight out of ten children are doing less than an hour of physical activity daily, but around half have sweets, chocolates and soft drinks every day.

In Birmingham the statistics show almost one in four children aged between four and five are obese or overweight and five years later this rises to four out of ten. There are fears this trend will lead to major health problems and potentially a generation dying early.

This figure for reception age youngsters is the same in Dudley and Sandwell, rising to 27 per cent in Cannock Chase and 28 per cent in Wolverhampton. The best figures in the region are Solihull’s with 18 per cent of pupils aged between four and five either overweight or obese.

The under pressure NHS in the region is already being hit – in the latest figures available for 2011/12 for the Midlands region 964 patients were admitted to hospital with obesity as the primary cause.

This compares to a total of 425 in the West Midlands in the five years before.

Figures released earlier this year from Birmingham Public Health showed 40 per cent of 10 and 11-year-olds in the city are now overweight or obese

NHS statistics have revealed that being obese has the same risks to health as smoking 20 cigarettes a day.

BHF chief executive Simon Gillespie said: “These figures are a warning that many of our children are in grave danger of developing coronary heart disease in the future if they continue to live the same lifestyle. This is simply unacceptable. Through our new Hearty Lives projects we are committed to working with local communities to give young people most at risk of heart disease a healthier start in life.

“But we can’t act alone. Local decision makers need to identify the children and young people at greatest risk of poor health in their communities and take steps to help them improve their lifestyle. By ensuring children develop healthy habits now, we can give them a fighting chance of avoiding serious ill-health in the future.”

The foundation is launching projects to try and cut the risk of overweight youngsters getting heart disease in later life – including one based in Wolverhampton.

Birmingham City Council now has assumed responsibility for public health and has outlined a five-year plan to cut childhood obesity rates.

It has been estimated that the problem costs £2.6 billion per year including costs to the NHS, social care and the wider economy.

For health, it increases the risk of developing many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Dr Adrian Phillips, director of public health for Birmingham, said: “Childhood obesity is far worse in Birmingham than the national average. It’s a universal problem and a real emergency for the city.

“In the short term, we’re looking to encourage businesses to sell and promote healthy food, limit the number of fast food shops, encourage organisations that offer physical activity to children, and make walking and cycling safer with speed and parking restrictions. Obesity in children has now become so common that it is almost seen as the norm. We need to change this perception and focus on prevention.”

The five year plan includes reducing fast food outlets, especially near schools, encouraging walking, improving school meals, and providing safe play facilities. It also sets targets such as increasing children walking to school by a fifth, a 100 per cent rise in fruit and veg consumption across all primary schools and nurseries within three years, and no growth in takeaways across the city.

Cabinet member for health and wellbeing, Coun Steve Bedser added: “The fact that one in four of our 10-year-olds is obese is the scariest statistic I know about Birmingham.

“That’s why we’re working so closely with colleagues in the NHS to tackle the issue. The health and wellbeing board recently endorsed a wide-ranging childhood obesity strategy.

“There is no overnight solution to this problem. But we’re taking action now to halt and reverse the rate of childhood obesity in our city.”