New figures from NHS Digital showed 19 per cent of Year 6 pupils in the town over the last year were obese.

An additional 15 per cent were classed as overweight.

Overall this means more than a third of the area’s pupils in their last year or primary school were unhealthily overweight.

Here’s what you said on Facebook...

Hannah Muller: “I hate seeing children’s menus which are 99 per cent made up of beige food.”

Ady Simons: “Bad nutrition and not enough exercise.”

Sami Russell: “I mean I’m a mother, my daughter eats a balanced diet.

“Now I’m not saying I’m perfect, far from it, but when it’s cheaper for a kid to go in the shop and grab a bag of crisps and chocolate than a fruit pot, I know which they will pick.

“Kids do need more stuff to do that doesn’t cost the earth, so they get out and about and make friends locally.”

Rebecca Harrison: “There’s a few things to take into consideration here. One is that children aged 10/11 are going through hormonal changes, especially girls, and this affects their weight considerably at this stage.

“Lots are going through what used to be called 'puppy fat' before they get to secondary school and join sports teams and after school activities.

“Then there is the difficulties parents have today. For many the biggest issue as a parent is not being able to let your children out to play as it’s too dangerous! Every other day there’s a stabbing in a park or a story about County Lines drug dealing for children in Swindon being one of the highest in the UK.

“That means lots of families have to resort to expensive activities like swimming or trampolining or gym memberships which cost a huge amount. Most 11-year olds who are leaving primary school who this article is talking about don’t want to visit a park with their mum and dad anymore.

“We are lucky that we find other ways of getting out and about as a family like walking, geocaching, Pokémon Go and lots of tree climbing together as a family!

“I do have a child who is overweight, one of three. But sadly, she has a medical condition that means she can’t exercise as much as we would like.

"Diet is only part of this problem. I understand it’s cheaper to buy junk food but it’s just as cheap to cut up some cucumber and carrots to put with chicken or chicken-less nuggets as it is chips?

“There’s always ways of making meals healthy and balanced. I personally think the exercise part is much harder these days with many children at home on electronic devices and not out in the community a lot of the time due to safety.”

Daniel Adams: “This childhood obesity thing is nonsense. You see stories every month of parents with perfectly healthy children at normal weight being sent letters saying their child is obese.

“The way it is calculated is incorrect.”

Charlotte Pugh: “Those who really struggle will buy from the chippy or something.

"It costs less by the time they have put money in the meter to fire up the oven, get on a bus to buy food and then the local stores are the expensive ones. Says it all really.”

And here are a selection of comments from the Adver's website...

How Very Dare You: “What do people expect when yet another fast food joint will be given the green light in Swindon?

“I’m sure we’ll have another McDonald’s, KFC or Burger King opening up soon.”

Nobody: “It’s the parents’ fault, no-one else’s. It should be considered as a form of child abuse to let your child be overweight or obese.”

Brexfast: “Bring back basic cookery lessons for all. My kids do cookery every now and again and come home with an upside down cake or a Victoria sponge.

“Teach them how to cook pasta, or even make it. A basic sauce. How to peal and boil a spud. Not sugary things.”