article: An "alarming" gap between rich and poor is risking the health of the youngest generation, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) report warns. It calls for bold action on smoking, obesity and child poverty. The Scottish government said it was committed to ensuring the best start in life for children. And it hailed progress in changing relationships with tobacco and alcohol, with the report showing a decline in the number of young people smoking and drinking. Critics said the report proved that "dramatic action" was needed to safeguard the health of children in Scotland. The key findings of the study include: The report looks at 25 health rates including asthma, diabetes and epilepsy, as well as obesity, breastfeeding and mortality, to provide a snapshot of health and wellbeing. It says Scotland leads the way with high vaccination rates, few cases of tooth decay and a decline in suicide rates among young people. But the report adds: "Child health in Scotland is amongst the poorest in western Europe." It found that children who live in poverty in Scotland are more likely to be overweight or obese, have a mother who smoked during pregnancy, and be exposed to alcohol or drug misuse. 210,000 Children live in poverty in Scotland 400 Children and infants die each year - a "significant" number are potentially avoidable. 27% of all children in Scotland are overweight or obese. 29% of pregnant women in deprived areas are smokers. 15.4% of mothers in deprived areas were exclusively breastfeeding after six weeks. Dr Steve Turner, RCPCH officer for Scotland, told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We are making progress. Children are healthier now than they were 10, 20 years ago but compared to other countries in the EU, we're not doing so good. "Our improvements are slower. And the focus here has to be on the inequalities. We live in a society where the health of children in the most affluent communities is remarkably good and comparable to the best levels of health anywhere else in the world. "But if you look at the state of health of children in our poorest communities, the story is pretty rubbish. We have to do better for these children." He highlighted Scotland's good vaccination rates and a falling number of suicides. But he added: "The overall picture is rather bleak and there's an awful lot the government needs to do." Dr Turner said government should consider children every time they put a new policy in place and he called on ministers to implement more child health targets. "I would encourage them to consider setting other targets which can be measured and have a deadline," he said. "So for example, a target to reduce obesity by a certain proportion by 2020, a target to reduce child deaths by 2020. We can't just sit tight and watch these numbers going the wrong way." He said government, health care services, social services and individuals needed to take responsibility for improving children's health. "Doing nothing is not an option," he said. "We have to
summary: The health of children in Scotland is among the worst in Europe, according to a major new study.