Nearly a quarter of primary school children are obese - 120 percent heavier than the median weight for peers - compared with one-sixth in 1997, government statistics show.

Found wanting were better coordination and promotion from education, health and sports authorities to tackle obesity among primary school children.

According to the audit report released yesterday, students at nearly 100 primary schools were only managing 45 to 65 minutes of physical education a week, instead of the stipulated 70 minutes.

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Compiled though 426 questionnaires and six school visits, the report revealed nearly one-third of 423 primary schools did not have physical activity policies compared with 42 which had undocumented polices and 28 percent with documented policies.

Teachers too were playing truant and staying away from the Department of Health's School NutriAgent Project, with only 40 percent of 658 primary schools attending, a fourfold drop in participation since the project's launch in 2006.

Associate professor of physical education at Baptist University Lobo Louie Hung-tak said primary school students' health had declined in the past two decades because of junk food and less exercise, with 2 to 3 percent decline per year for boys and 5 percent for girls.

He attributed this to Hong Kong's unhealthy focus on academic achievement alone. More funding and time should be set aside for physical education with parents encouraged to keep their children active outside of school hours.

Separately, two school lunch suppliers may not have proper Food and Environmental Hygiene Department licenses, according to the report.