By Phillipa Anamaoh-
New data published today show an alarming rate of severe obesity among year 6 children (aged 10 to 11) has increased by more than a third since 2006. Currently, one in 25 (4.2%) English children in year 6 are in the obese category.
The latest data from the national child measurement programme (NCMP), overseen by Public Health England (PHE), also shows stubborn class inequalities are still prevalent. Obesity in the poorest areas are more than double than that of the richest areas.
NHS figures show the proportion of children who are severely obese has risen by more than a third since 2007. This is equivalent to 24,437 children in England fall into the fattest possible category.
The London borough of Brent has the highest level of severely obese children, with a rate of 7.8 per cent – more than five times higher than 1.5 per cent in the lowest, Richmond upon Thames.
Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing,
and reduce health inequalities. We do this through world-leading science, knowledge
and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health
services.
This official data emphasizes the importance of the government’s plan to tackle childhood obesity. The most important aspects of these are overseen by PHE, who are challenging the food industry to reduce 20% of sugar and calories in common foods that are consumed regularly by children. PHE England insists that Britain as a nation is consuming much sugar which can often mean too many calories,
leading to weight gain and obesity. Children and adults are consuming more than double their
maximum recommended allowance of sugar.
TOOTH DECAY
In England, an estimated 25% of five year old’s have tooth decay and one in three children are
overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school. Obese or overweight children
are more likely to become obese or overweight adults, increasing their risk of cardiovascular
disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
The NCMP provides the most comprehensive picture of the state of childhood obesity for the 2017 to 2018 school year in England. Their studies found that whilst the proportion of overweight and obese children in reception year (aged 4 to 5) has remained stable at 22.4% (equal to 136,586 children), it is not the case for year 6 children where the statistic rose from 31.6% in 2016-2017 to 34.3%.
In the most economically deprived areas, 12.8% of children in reception year are obese, compared to 5.7% in the more well-off areas. The case is the same for year 6 pupils. Overweight and obese children in the most deprived areas is over double that of the statistic for children in the richest areas. This data concludes that in both age groups, severe obesity is 4 times higher in economically deprived areas.
This week, PHE met with major trade bodies, retailers, manufacturers, out of home sector businesses – including takeaways, cafes and pubs – and public health NGOs, to discuss the second phase of the calorie reduction programme.
The next chapter of the government’s childhood obesity plan was published back in June 2018 and included mandatory calorie labelling in the out of home sector, a restriction on price promotions on unhealthy foods and a ban on the sale of energy drinks to children.
Steve Brine, Public Health Minister said:
“Obesity is a problem that has been decades in the making – one that will take significant effort across government, schools, families and wider society to address. We have already removed tonnes of sugar from children’s diets through the sugar tax, which has funded vital school sports and breakfast programmes, and this summer we announced the second chapter of our childhood obesity strategy with a series of bold plans to halve childhood obesity by 2030.”
Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at PHE, added to Brine’s comments, saying: “These continuing high rates of childhood obesity, combined with widening health inequalities, highlight why government is taking bold steps to tackle this crisis.
This threat to our children’s health has been decades in the making – we’re moving in the right direction but reversing it will not happen overnight.”
Children classed as severely obese have a BMI (Body Mass Index) either on or above the 99.6 percentile for their age and gender. Furthermore, children with excess weight are much more likely to suffer from negative repercussions such as poor self-esteem, bullying and stigma in childhood. They are also more likely to remain overweight and obese throughout adulthood, which, as a result will increase their risk of preventable illnesses including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
UNACCEPTABLE
octors have declared the figures as “totally unacceptable” and have said that more children and families should attend weight management sessions. One of the national campaigns Change4Life, by the PHE helps millions of families nationwide to make healthier choices through meal swap suggestions and the Food Scanner app, which reveals the sugar, salt and fat in foods and drinks. Change4Life also supports schools to embed healthier habits into everyday school life.
Eustace De Sousa, national lead for children at PHE says from the food industry to local councils – should play their part in addressing the problem, adding that families can also make positive changes with help from Change4Life.”
However, Dr Max Drive, officer for health promotion for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, has implied that banning junk food advertisements on television before the 9pm watershed may not be enough to truly combat childhood obsesity, as he stated,
“As the figures have shown today, 20% of children are already obese by the time they leave primary school and this is totally unacceptable.”
“Access [to] and funding of high quality weight management services are urgently needed now if we are to ensure no child slips through the net and all children, no matter where they live, are given the same opportunity to good health.”
Although the government has pledged to halve childhood obesity by 2030, public body and health charities believe that Theresa May’s plans do not reach far enough to every individual child and depend on food manufacturers willingly reducing food levels. More bans and legislation need to be put in place, which limit children’s access to unhealthy foods if the government truly wants to combat the child obesity epidemic.