Australian doctors say that obesity is spreading and affecting people at a younger age with the latest victims being babies as young as 12 months.

The obesity epidemic is so bad that Westmead Children's Hospital now has a 12-month waiting list at its child management clinic for treatment by the clinic's psychologists, dietitians and physiotherapists. This is the only hospital in the state with a child management clinic and is treating 150 children aged between 1 and 16, some with severe weight related issues such as sleep apnea and diabetes according to a report in The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Sydney.

Westmead pediatrician Shirley Alexander said overfeeding and large portions of food were more to blame than junk food for the fact that the children are becoming overweight. She said, "we are seeing children who can't walk properly or wipe themselves because they are obese.'

Alexander added that she was shocked to see children as young as one getting affected by the obesity epidemic. She called for morbidly obese children to be placed under child protection and to be taken into the care of the Department of Community Services (DoCS).

"A one-year-old who should be 10kg is actually 18 to 20kg or a two year-old who should be 12kg is 25kg," said Alexander.