// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Wales risks raising one of the unhealthiest generations in decades, doctors warn
Wales has the highest rate of childhood obesity among all four UK nations
The health of children in Wales is "shocking" and outcomes for young people are worsening or slowing down in many areas, children's doctors have said.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) in Wales said without urgent action Wales risked "raising one of the unhealthiest generations of children in decades".
It said the effect was most sharply felt in deprived areas.
The Welsh government said it would consider the finding's "carefully", and that it wanted to deliver a "sustained national focus on babies, children, and young people's health".
The warning is based on an analysis of 12 key indicators including infant mortality, mental health, obesity, vaccine rates and asthma.
It showed vaccination coverage had fallen below recommended levels, with very few routine childhood vaccines now meeting the 95% uptake target.
More than a quarter (27%) of children aged five to six in Wales had obvious tooth decay in 2024-25. Children living in the most deprived areas were nearly twice as likely to have tooth decay as those living in the least.
In 2024-25, 27.3% of children aged four to five were overweight or living with obesity. This is the highest prevalence recorded in Wales to date and the highest rate among all four UK nations.
In addition, an estimated 135,000 children and young people in Wales are living with a diagnosable mental health condition, including one in four 17 to 24-year-olds.