National Child Measurement Programme, England 2019/20 School Year
This report covers children in Reception (aged 4-5 years) and Year 6 (aged 10-11 years) over the 2019/20 school year. The NCMP report covers analyses of Body Mass Index (BMI) rates by geography, sex, ethnicity and age.
Click here to access the National Child Measurement Programme report
In March 2020, schools were closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on this has been included in this report.
Key Findings:
- In Receptions, obesity prevalence has increased: 9.7% in 2018/19 to 9.9% in 2019/20
- In Year 6, obesity prevalence has increased: 20.2% in 2018/19 to 21% in 2019/20
- Boys have a higher obesity prevalence than girls for both age groups
- In Reception, 10.1% of boys were obese compared to 9.7% of girls
- In Year 6, 23.6% of boys were obese compared to 18.4% of girls
- Children living in the most deprived areas were more than twice as likely to be obese, than those living in the least deprived areas
- 13.3% of Reception children living in the most deprived areas were obese compared to 6% of those living in the least deprived areas
- 27.5% of Year 6 children living in the most deprived area were obese compared to 11.9% of those living in the least deprived areas.
Sheena Bhageerutty, Registered Associate Nutritionist for Action on Salt and Sugar said:
“Overall, there has been an increase in the prevalence of obesity across both age groups, Reception and Year 6. This shows the importance of interventions being introduced from an early age and that children’s health needs to be a priority. We need to make healthier choices easier to access, cheaper and more convenient for the public. To play our role in tackling obesity, we need to involve a whole system’s approach to facilitate healthier environments. The time to act on childhood obesity is now!”
