FOOD companies have come under scathing attack from Worcestershire County Council's leader - who suggests they are "killing" people by cramming in too much salt and sugar.

Councillor Adrian Hardman has called for direct Government intervention to help tackle the obesity epidemic, accusing food firms of "bending the tastebuds of an entire generation".

His outspoken criticism came as the county council opted against giving 'emergency' advice to schools after new figures emerged highlighting rampant obesity among children.

Councillor Hardman said: "The mass processing of food has developed in this country where sugar and to some degree salt has poured in so they (food companies) have in fact, in my view, bended the tastebuds of an entire generation.

"As a key free market advocate I'd usually be opposing any form of legislation but I do think it would be sensible for the Government to have another look at this.

"I also think companies should look at their long term company plans, as I suspect killing your consumers is not going to be good for your bottom line in the long run."

Back in May shock figures revealed nearly a quarter of Worcestershire children are overweight or obese by the time they start primary school.

And for children aged 10 and 11, the percentage classed as just obese practically doubles to 18.5 per cent.

It led to a motion being voted on during a full council meeting, drawn up the Liberal Democrat and Green parties, asking for "emergency advice" to be handed to schools over "this serious risk to the health of our young people".

It was narrowly rejected by 24 votes to 29, but not before councillors expressed serious concerns about the data, calling it "frightening".

Some of them said too many parents fail to recognise their own children as being obese, while another suggested it doesn't help not using the word "fat".

Lib Dem Councillor Liz Tucker said: "I was shocked to see that Worcestershire has two of its six districts which are among the worst in the West Midlands (Redditch and the Wyre Forest) - it needs urgent focus to address what is a startling problem.

"We just have to do something about this."

Labour Councillor Graham Vickery dragged fast food retailers into the debate, pointing out that Bromsgrove has no McDonald's because planners there are bold enough to "refuse to sanction them."

Lib Dem Councillor Fran Oborski said: "It really is a frightening statistic - all of us who are school governors go into school and see children who are obese.

"It costs the NHS in this county £80 million a year, we really have to do something about this - as a county council we should be urging all our schools to take action."

Councillor Hardman said he disagreed on the need to give advice to schools, saying they get "an enormous amount" already, with children weighed and measured first in reception and again aged 10 or 11.

Conservative Councillor Kit Taylor said not being able to use the word "fat" doesn't help, urging parents to take more responsibility, while Labour Councillor Chris Bloore said: "Too many families aren't recognising that their children are overweight."

Councillor Oborski said it was "too serious" for the council to not intervene, but her plea did not swing the vote.

In May your Worcester News revealed 14.6 per cent of children aged four and five in the county were classed as overweight according to a measurement of their Body Mass Index, while 9.6 per cent were obese.

Although the amount of overweight children aged 10 and 11 is only slightly higher at 14.8 per cent, obesity is almost double at 18.5 per cent.

* What do you think? Do schools need urgent advice - more advice - on obesity or should it start in the home? Email te@worcesternews.co.uk or leave your comments below.