Just four years ago, the standard waist size for a 12year-old child was around 26 inches, but uniform suppliers now have a big demand for waists of 30 inches and up.

In extreme cases, six- and eight-year-old children have been kitted out with 40 inchwaist trousers and skirts.

Meanwhile, secondary school students now require waistbands of up to 50 inches wide.

"We react to how the market moves, and in recent years there has been a significant shift to bigger-fit wear, " said Brian Deignan of Deignan Brothers, Rathmines, which supplies school uniforms to shops around the country.

"Every year, we review whether we need a bigger size and we are now selling up to 46 and 48 inch waists as standard. And they're selling. The demand is very much there."

Paul Fallon, manager of Lynch's of Marino Uniform Supplies agreed.

"We would get seven- and eight-year-olds requiring a 30 inch waist, " he said. "We stock up to 36 in our junior range and we do get customers for it. For secondary school kids, we now stock 48 and 50 inch waists as standard, and we recently had to order a 58 inch jumper to be specially made. There is definitely an obesity problem there."

However, Fallon feels that the market was slow to respond to the needs of young customers.

"Five years ago, I would say we were losing 25% of our custom because we simply didn't have the trousers to fit some children. Instead, their parents would go to Dunnes, buy cheap trousers and get them altered. Now, no matter what the shape or size of the customer, we can cater for them."

Deignan's junior range is called 'sturdy fit' and caters for children up to the age of 12.

While they mainly provide boyswear, their market research has indicated that the demand for larger clothing is higher among girls.

"It is quite striking to have a six- or eight-year-old child with a 40 inch waist, " he said.

"But if uniforms weren't available to these children, they would have to be ordered specially, meaning that child could be without a uniform for some weeks. We were very sensitive to that situation and moved to cater for them accordingly."

Dr John O'Riordan, previously of the National Taskforce on Obesity and a member of the GP National Organisation for Weight Control (GPNOW), said parents need to take action if they find their children are requiring such large uniforms.

"Parents have to open their eyes and recognise when their child has an obesity problem, " he said.

"Needing clothes that big is not a result of puppy fat; it is a serious health risk. A high percentage of obese children are already showing signs of diabetes. When it comes to obesity we are just eight years behind the US.

"Irish people talk about fat Americans, but that's us in a few years' time. Until the government does something about the Obesity Taskforce findings, things are only going to get worse."