The rise of childhood obesity in England and the implications of obesity persisting into adulthood is a public health concern. Obesity in childhood can have a significant negative impact on the health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people. Obesity in adults is a risk factor for other health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer and may also impact on mental health.

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) is an annual record of height and weight measurements of children in reception and year 6.

This data pack contains analysis of 2023/24 NCMP data for West Sussex, with breakdowns by age, sex, area (based on postcode of the child), deprivation and ethnicity. This includes local analyses conducted by the Public Health and Social Research Unit alongside published data from:

Key messages for 2023/24:

Reception (4-to-5-year-olds):

  • One in five reception children were overweight or obese (excess weight) in West Sussex, equating to around 1,725 children
  • Prevalence of excess weight was lower in West Sussex (20.3%) than England (22.1%)
  • Variation exists within the county - Adur had the highest prevalence of excess weight (24.0%), and Horsham had the lowest (17.6%)
  • Prevalence of excess weight among reception children has not changed over time in West Sussex

Year 6 (10-to-11-year-olds):

  • One in three (31.2%) of Year 6 children were overweight or obese in West Sussex, equating to around 2,785 10–11-year-olds
  • Prevalence of excess weight was lower in West Sussex (31.2%) than England (35.8%)
  • Variation exists within the county - Arun had the highest prevalence of excess weight (37.3% - higher than the county average), and Horsham had the lowest (25.5% - lower than the county average)
  • Prevalence of excess weight among children in Year 6 has increased in the past 5 years in West Sussex

Inequalities:

  • Children living in the most deprived areas were more likely to be overweight or obese compared with those living in the least deprived areas
  • Reception children living in the most deprived areas were less likely to remain a healthy weight at Year 6
  • Prevalence of excess weight was higher among boys than girls (Year 6 only)
  • Differences in prevalence of healthy weight by ethnicity were observed for both age groups.

Downloads:

For previous reports, navigate to the dedicated National Child Measurement Programme webpage.

Updated: