CHILD health in Scotland is among the poorest in Western Europe, according to a grim new report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

According to the college, more than 210,000 children in Scotland live in poverty, 28 per cent are overweight or obese. The report goes on to say that of the approximately 350-450 infants, children and young people who die every year in Scotland, a significant number of those deaths are “potentially avoidable”.

The report, which is a UK-wide snapshot, puts much of the blame on the “alarming” gap between rich and poor children.

Dr Steve Turner, the RCPCH officer in Scotland, said there had been notable improvements in recent years but “the rate of improvement is slower than it should be”.

He added: “There is much that the Scottish Government is doing to reduce the impact of poverty and inequality and there is much in Scotland that can be celebrated and learned from. However, more is required and we cannot be complacent when it comes to improving infants, children and young people’s health. We know that the 1,000 days between conception and the second birthday shape the life course of an individual and the Scottish Government needs to optimise the early environment.”

According to the report, most of the 350 to 450 deaths occur in children under one year of age.

The second largest number of deaths happens in young people aged between the ages of 15 to 18, with alcohol abuse and road traffic accidents the biggest killers.

RCPCH say the introduction of “graduated licensing schemes for novice drivers” could save many of those lives.

Other recommendations, include banning advertising for foods high in saturated fat, sugar, and salt before 9pm, and more support for breastfeeding and an expansion of programmes to measure the height and weight of youngsters.

There’s also a call to introduce mandatory sex and relationship education in Scotland’s schools, starting as early as seven to 11 years of age.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: “We agree that our children’s health should be a priority for all. This is why this government has committed to ensuring the best start for all our children, and real progress has been made in reducing the damage done by tobacco, increasing the proportion of healthy-weight children and improving Scotland’s relationship with alcohol.”

Alison Johnstone, health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, said the report was shocking: “The link between poverty and poor health is well established and this shocking report shows we need a transformation in how Government approaches the issue. Four hundred preventable child deaths each year must prompt serious action.”

Labour inequalities spokesperson Monica Lennon said the SNP had to shoulder the blame: “After a decade of SNP government, Scotland is among the poorest countries in western Europe for child health. That is simply appalling.

“This report highlights the failings of the SNP’s decade in power to halt the impact deprivation has on a raft of health and well-being issues from smoking to breastfeeding.

“Another £327 million of cuts to schools and social care departments across Scotland will only make this worse. We need to take a different path.”