THEY'RE fat, take drugs and get pregnant at 14.

That's the headline-grabbing picture of today's schoolchildren painted by two recent reports.

Teachers know that, in fact, the youngsters in their care are typically the time-honoured mix of the diligent and the precocious -- but new figures showing a rise in childhood diabetes due to obesity and a soaring number of under-age pregnancies in East Lancashire reveal a burgeoning problem.

Now schools in the region are being given the chance to check their health credentials. The Lancashire Healthy Schools Programme was launched at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors, following a successful pilot which involved more than 20 schools in East Lancashire.

Schools who want to take part can choose a range of topics, including sexual health and relationships to drugs education. Heather Hardy, Lancashire's Healthy Schools co-ordinator, said: "School can play an important part in helping young people make healthy choices so that they are better equipped to deal with the real-life issues that confront them every day."

The Healthy Schools Programme has been developed from a partnership involving Lancashire County Council and health authorities and primary care trusts and also addresses healthy eating, emotional health and well-being and getting fit. Heather said: "We already have wonderful examples of how the programme can benefit young people from the pilot schools in East Lancashire. One school has worked with the community on the issue of safer routes to school and in another area schools have formed a cluster to work together on health issues."

County Councillor Alan Whittaker, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People at County Hall, said: "This is a tremendously important initiative. Research has shown that young people's health and well-being and their attainment in school go hand in hand."

Schools involved in the pilot included Norden High, Rishton; St Augustine's RC High, Billington; Walton High, Nelson; Alder Grange High, Rawtenstall; and Haslingden High. More than a dozen primary and special schools also took part, as well as Rishton and Rawtenstall pupil referral units.

East Lancashire has among the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe. Girls in Hyndburn, Burnley and Pendle are also more likely to have abortions than anywhere else in the county. Eight under-16s in 1,000 have terminations.