4-month-old babies taking gym classes to cut obesity risk

LONDON: Parents are taking babies as young as four months to special gyms amid growing fears about childhood obesity.

A US chain has signed up hundreds of babies and toddlers across London for "developmental gymnastics". Demand for places has surged as government figures reveal one in five London children under 11 is obese.

A new centre in Chiswick has registered almost 500 children since September including 150 babies under three - and two more gyms are due to open in Chelsea and Hampstead. Grandparents are even buying their grandchildren membership of the gyms as a Christmas present.

Tracie Silk, owner of the new Little Gym in Chiswick, already runs packed classes for 10-month-old babies and will start teaching four-month-olds in February.

She said: "We have had an unbelievable response from people wanting to bring babies under 10months along. We were taken completely by surprise when we opened."

The Little Gym says its £300-a-term classes for four-month-olds upwards. Parents accompany children up to three years old, helping them to "walk" along a beam, do forward rolls and use balancing bars.

"Parents are always surprised at how physical it is for the babies. It is about fun,” Hinman, gym director, Hampton Hill centre, said.