NHS Digital have released the National Child Measurement Programme 2017/18 results for the 2017/18 school year.
Children in reception class (aged 4 to 5 years) and year 6 (aged 10 to 11 years) have their height and weight measured to assess overweight and obesity levels in children within state-maintained primary schools. This data is used at a national level to support local public health initiatives and inform the local planning and delivery of services for children.
The West Sussex Public Health and Social Research Unit have completed a data briefing to summarise childhood obesity prevalence at a local level.
Key Facts
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In England, more than a fifth of reception children were overweight or obese, and in year 6 it was over a third.
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In West Sussex, prevalence of obesity was lower than national levels; with 19.5% of reception age children (4-5 years old) and 28.3% of year 6 children (10-11 years old) measured as overweight or obese.
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Within local authorities, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is varied. Worthing had the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity among reception children (23.0%) and Arun had the highest prevalence among year 6 children (32.1%)
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Inequalities in childhood obesity persist. For both school years, prevalence of excess weight among children living in the most deprived areas of West Sussex is greater than those living in the least deprived areas.