Children as young as two are being treated for health conditions associated with obesity, with one health expert saying latest figures ‘continue to concern’.
One in 10 (9.6%) of children joining primary school have obesity, according to NHS data, a rise from 9.2% in 2022-23.
Obesity in year six children fell slightly from 22.7% to 22.1% but remained higher than the 2019-20 level of 21%.
NHS England said it was spending £6.5 billion a year on treating obesity-related ill health across all age groups in England. It has introduced a number of services to support children and families, including 30 specialist clinics.
These clinics treat thousands of children between the ages of two and 18 with health complications related to severe obesity. Treatment can include diet plans, mental health treatment and coaching.
Professor Simon Kenny is NHS England’s national clinical director for children and young people. He said: ‘These latest figures continue to concern me as they show almost one in 10 children are now classified as obese in their first year of school.
‘Obesity can have a major impact on a child’s life. It affects every organ in the body and is effectively a ticking health timebomb for the future by increasing a child’s risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer, mental health issues and many other illnesses.’
New data from the government’s national child measurement programme showed that levels of obesity in reception-age children living in the most deprived areas (12.9%) were more than double those in the least deprived areas (6%).
In addition, obesity among year six children was 29.2% in the most deprived areas, compared with 13% in the least deprived areas.
Link between obesity and mental health
This comes as a new study shows that children with good mental health at the age of 11 have a lower risk of being overweight or obese at 17.
Researchers found that the age of 11 ‘may be a sensitive period in which psychological wellbeing is associated with future body weight’.
University of Liverpool and Maynooth University looked at data from more than 8,000 children, with results published in the journal Obesity.
The research looked at both 11-year-olds and 14-year-olds who were considered overweight or obese, with the group being followed up once aged 17.
To assess wellbeing, children and their caregivers answered questions on issues including happiness with life, self-esteem, happiness with life, social support, depressive symptoms, satisfaction with appearance and online bullying.
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