7 Childhood obesity

Childhood obesity is a global concern affecting 38.3 million children under the age of five. New Zealand has some of the highest rates in the world (Shakleton et al., 2018).

The following statistics from the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (2023) reveal the worrying levels of obesity in children in the UK.

• The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP), established in 2006, collects annual measurements of the height and weight of over one million children in Reception (age 4–5 years) and Year 6 (age 10–11 years) in primary schools across England.
• In 2021 to 2022, more than 1 in 5 children in Reception (aged 4–5 years) were overweight or living with obesity (boys 22.5%, girls 22.0%, all children 22.3%).

• In 2021 to 2022, 1 in 10 children in Reception (aged 4–5 years) were living with obesity (boys 10.3%, girls 9.9%, all children 10.1%).
• There are large disparities in child obesity. Children living in the most deprived areas in England are more than twice as likely to be living with obesity compared to those living in the least deprived areas.
• Reception aged children living in the most deprived areas in England are more than three times as likely to be living with severe obesity compared to those living in the least deprived areas.
• Severe obesity prevalence in Reception aged children is highest among children from Black other, Black African, and Asian Bangladeshi ethnic groups.

Obesity that starts in childhood has a negative impact on physical and mental health, and children who are obese are more likely to remain obese into adulthood. There are compelling reasons for reversing the trend for children and across the age span, however finding ways to do so aren’t straightforward. Part of the reason why this is the case is because there are many factors that contribute to the epidemic of childhood obesity. The following section explores some of these reasons.