Obesity set to soar for boys, but not girls, from poorer homes

Most boys from deprived backgrounds in England will be overweight by 2020 while better-off boys grow slimmer, says study

Girls as young as 7 feel pressure to be pretty – body confidence study

Girlguiding UK warns of society’s focus on appearance as survey shows 36% of girls aged 7-10 believe looks to be paramount

Should children be able to give consent for medical treatment?

Can adolescents be trusted to make decisions about their health? New guidance from the US says those as young as seven should know their options

Snap, crackle and filth – let kids eat dirt

Could it be that we have been making our children sick by being too clean?

Keep button batteries away from children, doctors warn parents

Great Ormond Street hospital reports sharp rise in number of children treated after swallowing the potentially fatal metal discs

Bishop campaigns to highlight issue of body image among children

Bishop of Gloucester Rachel Treweek is holding series of talks with teenagers to challenge perceptions about appearance

Toxic chemicals in household dust linked to cancer and infertility

Scientists find scores of harmful chemicals in indoor dust including phthalates linked to developmental problems in babies

Sexualised behaviour in very young children increasing, say teachers

Sex and relationship education currently inadequate in context of sexual material freely available online, which may be leading to rise in sexual assaults

How porn is damaging our children’s future sex lives

Any boy with a smartphone can watch online pornography – and it’s harming their ability to relate to real-life girls and women

The Tories must tackle the real cause of obesity: inequality

Fat is a class issue. Most of the seriously obese are poor. Offer a diet of self-esteem, good jobs and social status, and the pounds will fall away