Slight fall in childhood obesity - NHS data

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Obesity among primary school children fell slightly in 2022/23, but prevalence among year 6 children remains above pre-pandemic levels, according to NHS data.

Figures from NHS England show obesity prevalence among four and five-year-olds fell to 9.2% in 2022/23 from 10.1% in 2021/22, compared with the highest recorded figure in 2020/21 of 14.4%.

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP), England, 2022/23 report says the decrease is a return to pre-pandemic levels for this age group and is one of the lowest levels since 2006/07.

The proportion of year 6 children, aged 10 and 11, living with obesity dropped to 22.7% in 2022/23, down from 23.4% in 2021/22 and 25.5% in 2020/21, but remained higher than the 2019/20 pre-pandemic level of 21.0%. 

In 2022/23, 77.5% children in reception and 61.9% of those in year 6 were a healthy weight. In reception, 77.0% of boys were a healthy weight compared with 78.1% of girls. Among year 6 boys, 59.6% were a healthy weight compared with 64.2% of year 6 girls. 

In 2022/23, the proportion of underweight year 6 children7 rose to 1.6% - up from 1.5% in 2021/22. Underweight children in reception remained at 1.2%, the same level as in 2021/22. 

The report found levels of obesity in reception-aged children living in the most deprived areas were more than double those in the least deprived areas at 12.4% compared to 5.8%., while the prevalence of severe obesity was more than three times higher in the most deprived areas compared with those living in the least deprived areas at 3.8% compared to 1.2%. 

When it comes to year 6 children, the prevalence of obesity was 30.2% in the most deprived areas, compared with 13.1% in the least deprived areas. For severe obesity, the prevalence among those living in the most deprived areas was more than four times higher compared to the least deprived areas at 9.2% and 2.1% respectively.  

The proportion of reception-aged children living with obesity in 2022/23 was highest in the North East at 11.3% and lowest in the South East (8.0%), East of England (8.1%) and South West (8.2%). 

For year 6, the proportion of children living with obesity was highest in the North East at 25.8%, the West Midlands (25.2%) and London (24.8%). It was lowest for year 6 children in the South West (19.4%) and the South East (19.4%). 

When analysing ethnicity, the proportion of children living with obesity in 2022/23 was highest for Black children in both reception (13.6%) and year 6 (31.6%0 and lowest for Chinese children in both reception (4.2%) and year 6 (15.2%).   

Underweight prevalence was highest for Asian children in both reception (4.3%) and year 6 (3.8%).

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