Report Shows 1 in 5 First Year Primary School Students in UK are Overweight or Obese

30 Jan 2017 --- The State of Child Health report has revealed that UK children are at serious risk of obesity, with more than one in five children in the first year of primary school being overweight or obese. The data provide an “across the board” snapshot of child health and wellbeing in the UK.

The report also comments on the rates of childhood smoking, childhood alcohol abuse, low rates of breast-feeding and infant deaths. It suggests that with nearly one in five children in the UK living in poverty, that inequality is “blighting their lives”, with those from the most deprived backgrounds experiencing much worse health compared with the most affluent.

It also states that despite some improvements in the health of UK children over the last decades, there is clear disparity with Europe, and major cause for concern.

Overall, across England, Scotland and Wales, more than one in five children in the first year of primary school are overweight or obese, with a minimal improvement in the prevalence of child overweight and obesity over the past decade. In 2015/2016, 40% of children in England’s most deprived areas were overweight or obese, compared to 27% in the most affluent areas.

The data also found that the UK ranks 15 out of 19 Western European countries on infant (under one year of age) mortality and has one of the highest rates for children and young people in Western Europe.

Professor Neena Modi, President of the RCPCH stresses that although the health of infants, children and young people in the UK has improved considerably over the last 30 years, there is still a huge amount of work to be done.

“Many will lead happy and healthy lives,” Modi says, “But seven years after the Marmot Review, “Fair Society, Healthy Lives”, it is tragic that the future health and happiness of a significant and growing number is in jeopardy because of an alarming gap between rich and poor.”

“Children living in the most deprived areas are much more likely to be in poor health, be overweight or obese, suffer from asthma, have poorly managed diabetes, experience mental health problems, and die early.”

“Poor health in infancy, childhood, and young adult life will ultimately mean poor adult health, and this in turn will mean a blighted life and poor economic productivity.”

She finalizes, “The UK is one of the richest countries in the world; we can and must do better, for the sake for each individual, and that of the nation as a whole.”

The Obesity Health Alliance responded to the childhood obesity figures by stressing the importance of the Soft Drink Levy, saying, “We must take bold action now by bringing in measures like the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, reducing the sugar, saturated fat and salt from everyday foods and restricting junk food marketing to children to give us a fighting chance to help make our children healthier now, and in the future.”

“Over a third of children are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school, potentially setting them up for a lifetime of poor physical and mental health.”

“This report paints a disturbing picture of the state of our children’s health,” they said.

Professor Russell Viner, RCPCH Officer for Health Promotion said, “We are calling on each Government across the UK to adopt a “child health in all policies approach”.”

“That means that whatever policies are made, from whatever Government department, they must consider the impact on child health.”

“If politicians are serious about improving our nation’s health, then they have to think long term. And that means investing in children. It has to be our ambition for the health of the UK’s children to be amongst the best in the world; anything less and we are failing current and future generations.”