The prevalence of primary school children living with obesity continued to fall in 2022/23, after reaching the highest recorded levels during the Covid-19 pandemic, new NHS England figures show.  However, obesity prevalence among year six children aged 10 to 11 remains above pre-pandemic levels.

Statistics published today show obesity prevalence among four and five-year-olds in reception classes fell to 9.2 per cent in 2022/23 from 10.1 per cent in 2021/22, compared with the highest recorded figure in 2020/21 of 14.4 per cent. The decrease signals a return to pre-pandemic levels for this age group and is one of the lowest levels since 2006/07.

The National Child Measurement Programme, England, 2022/23 report also found the proportion of year six children, living with obesity dropped to 22.7 per cent in 2022/23. This was down from 23.4 per cent in 2021/22 and 25.5 per cent in 2020/21 but remained higher than the 2019/20 pre-pandemic level of 21.0 per cent.

In 2020/21, the first set of measurements after schools closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, obesity levels for both age groups were the highest since the National Child Measurement Programme began.

The NCMP is overseen by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and is analysed and reported by NHS England and OHID. Since 2006/07, the programme has measured the height and weight of children in England annually and provides data on the patterns and trends in the prevalence of underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among children in reception and year six.

In 2022/23, the majority of children in reception (77.5 per cent) and year six (61.9 per cent) were a healthy weight. In reception, 77 per cent of boys were a healthy weight compared with 78.1 per cent of girls. The prevalence was lower for year six boys, with 59.6 per cent showing a healthy weight compared with 64.2 per cent of year six girls.

In 2022/23, the proportion of underweight year six children rose to 1.6 per cent - up from 1.5 per cent in 2021/22. Underweight children in reception remained at 1.2 per cent, the same level as in 2021/22.

Deprivation

Levels of obesity in reception-aged children living in the most deprived areas (12.4 per cent) were more than double those in the least deprived areas (5.8 per cent). The prevalence of severe obesity was more than three times higher in the most deprived areas (3.8 per cent) compared with those living in the least deprived areas (1.2 per cent).

Similarly, the prevalence of obesity among year six children was 30.2 per cent in the most deprived areas, compared with 13.1 per cent in the least deprived areas. The prevalence of severe obesity was more than four times higher among year six children in the most deprived areas (9.2 per cent) compared with those living in the least deprived areas (2.1 per cent).

Geography

The proportion of reception-aged children living with obesity in 2022/23 was highest in the North East (11.3 per cent). It was lowest in the South East (eight per cent), East of England (8.1 per cent) and South West (8.2 per cent).

For year six, the proportion of children living with obesity was highest in the North East (25.8 per cent), the West Midlands (25.2 per cent) and London (24.8 per cent). It was lowest for year six children in the South West (19.4 per cent) and the South East (19.4 per cent).

The prevalence of obesity varied by local authority. For reception, this ranged from 4.9 per cent in Wokingham to 14.1 per cent in Knowsley. In year six, the range was from 12.0 per cent in Richmond upon Thames to 31.7 per cent in Barking and Dagenham.

The prevalence of obesity was highest in urban areas for both age groups - 9.4 per cent in reception and 23.6 per cent in year six.

Ethnicity

The proportion of children living with obesity in 2022/23 was highest for Black children in both reception (13.6 per cent) and year six (31.6 per cent). It was lowest for Chinese children in both reception (4.2 per cent) and year six (15.2 per cent).

Underweight prevalence was highest for Asian children in both reception (4.3 per cent) and year six (3.8 per cent).

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