Rise in childhood obesity

The proportion of children in England in their final year of primary school who are obese rose slightly last year, according to new figures.

In 2010/11, some 19 per cent of ten and eleven year olds were classified as obese compared with 18.7 per cent the previous year.

In addition, another 14.4 per cent of children in the same year group were overweight in 2010/11 compared to 14.6 per cent in 2009/10 and 14.2 per cent in 2006/07.

However, the proportion of obese children in the reception year in 2010/11 fell slightly to 9.4 per cent. This compares with 9.8 per cent of children in 2009/10 and 9.9 per cent in 2006/07.

Similarly, 13.3 per cent of reception year children in 2010/11 were found to be overweight, compared with 13.3 per cent in 2009/10 and 13.0 per cent in 2006/07.

The National Child Measurement Programme, which started in 2005, measures the height and weight of children at the start and end of primary school. The programme was first introduced in 2005.

Children are assessed when they enter reception, aged four to five, and again in their final year at primary school, aged ten to eleven.

Around 93 per cent of eligible pupils in England take part in the assessment, more than one million school children.

As seen in previous years, obesity was more prevalent in schools located in deprived and urban areas.

Around seven per cent of reception age children from schools in the least deprived areas were obese, compared with around 12 per cent of children from schools in the most deprived areas.

Among year six children, around 14 per cent were obese from schools in the least deprived areas, compared with nearly 24 per cent of children from schools in the most deprived areas.

The figures were produced by the NHS Information Centre.

Tim Straughan, the programme's chief executive, said: "More than one million children in England are measured as part of the National Child Measurement Programme, which shows today that while the proportion of four-to-five year olds who are obese has fallen, the opposite has happened among 10 and 11-year-olds.

"This means that while fewer than one in 10 children in reception year are obese; for children in their final year of primary school this prevalence is nearly one in every five."

Tracy Parker, dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: "It is a shame that even more of our children are finishing primary school obese.

“It has been shown obese children are more likely to become obese adults. And obesity in adults is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

"We’ve got to realise that children’s food and lifestyle choices today could have long term consequences on their future health.

"That’s why our Food4Thought campaign is encouraging parents, kids, teachers and politicians to all think carefully about the food the next generation are eating, and the amount of exercise they're getting each day."

This article was published on Wed 14 December 2011