Revealed: Childhood obesity is twice as high in England’s most deprived places than in affluent areas

Where children live and the income of the households they live in, shapes their ability to live a healthy life. Now, IPPR analysis of national child measurement data published today shows that the epidemic of children affected by obesity evolved unequally over the life of the last government, and that its effects were not felt evenly across the country. Children in the most deprived parts of England are 2 times more likely to have obesity than children in the least deprived areas. This gap has widened since 2009/2010 - when children in the most deprived areas were 1.7 times more likely to be living with obesity. The highest rates of obesity are found in:

Local authorities with the highest rates of childhood obesity in England

Meanwhile, the lowest rates of obesity are found in:

Local authorities with the lowest rates of childhood obesity in England

England-wide, childhood obesity rates are 9.6 per cent among reception aged children (four and five) and 22.1 per cent for children in Year 6 (aged 10 and 11). Over the past decade, obesity rates have decreased in reception aged children and risen slightly in Year 6 aged children in affluent areas, while deprived areas have shown no real progress in reception and have seen a sharp increase in Year 6 obesity rates- standing at almost 3 in 10 of all children in 2023/24.

But experts at IPPR say that “it doesn’t have to be this way”. If every region matched that of the best performing region in 2023/24, we estimate that there would be 19,500 fewer children across English state schools in year 6 living with obesity and 7,400 fewer children in reception.

Dr Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at IPPR, said:

“Every child deserves to have the best start in life, but too many children growing up today are living with obesity because governments failed to create the conditions for them to live a good, healthy life.

“Children’s health lasts a lifetime. It impacts them, their communities and the country and it holds back our economy too. But poor public health is letting all of us down, and the poorest regions across England are feeling this epidemic the worst.

“The evidence shows that childhood obesity is not the fault of children or their parents. It's the result of widening inequalities, the scars of austerity and a laissez-faire approach to public health all of which have failed families. It doesn’t have to be this way – the new government can choose a different path”.

ENDS

About the data

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) collects height and weight measurements of a representative sample of children in reception (aged 4–5 years) and year 6 (aged 10–11 years) primarily in mainstream state-maintained schools in England. Find out more here: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/national-child-measurement-programme/

The number of children in year 6 and reception in state-maintained schools in England comes from Education Statistics ( https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics )The obesity gap by region was calculated by estimating what each region's obesity rate would be if it matched the best-performing region in 2023/24.We use Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) deciles, based on school postcode, to determine the level of deprivation.

Obesity prevalence by Upper Tier Local Authority of children in year 6: https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20143404/

Obesity prevalence by Upper Tier Local Authority of children in reception: https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20078855/