LONDON: Obesity at childhood could damage the feet bones, leading to deformities, says a new study. Obesity can damage the delicate, immature nature of children’s feet, leaving them at risk of deformities, said Stewart Morrison, a lecturer from the University of East London.

Researchers looked at 200 children from Glasgow aged nine to 12 years — 54 were obese, 15 severely obese, 30 overweight. Obese children had feet that were up to 15 mm longer and seven mm wider than feet in normal weight children. In children with severe obesity, their feet were on average 18 mm longer and 15 mm wider, it said.

Another study of 44 nine-11 year olds, half of whom were obese, found the obese were unstable when they walked.