Official statistics from Public Health Wales show that 27.3 per cent of four and five-year-olds in Wales are overweight or obese — the highest figure recorded since the programme began in 2014-2015.

The programme records children's height and weight in Reception classes across Wales.

This year's report has 28,512 children included in the findings which is 94.7 per cent of four- and five-year-olds, and the highest ever level of participation.

The proportion of children living with obesity was 12.8 per cent, higher than figures reported for England (10.5 per cent) and Scotland (11.8 per cent).

Rachel Bath, the lead for Early Years at Public Health Wales, said: "These findings underline how important the early years for children are.”