Decline in obesity in English schools
The British obesity research organization, PHE Obesity K&L, has just published (on December 11) the results of the annual report of the National Child Measurement Program (NCMP). It shows that obesity in schools has decreased for the first time since this kind of study was started 6 years ago. Some remain, however, cautious about the real decline of the phenomenon in English schools.
Obesity in English schools in 2013
According to the PHE Obesity K&L report, the number of obese, or overweight, children at the end of primary school has decreased. Indeed, the 2012-2013 study showed a drop of 0.6% in the proportion of children aged 6-11 compared to the figures of the previous report.
In 2011-2012, 33.9% of children in this age group were overweight or obese in primary school, whereas only 33.3% in 2012-2013. Taken in isolation, the category of children with obesity represented 18.9% of the population studied in 2012-2013, i.e. a decline of 0.2% compared to the figures for 2011-2012 which were 19.2%. .
At the preschool level, we are witnessing the same decline, with 22.2% of obese or overweight children in 2012-2013, i.e. a drop of 0.4% compared to the figure for 2011-2012 (22.6%). The percentage of only obese children was 9.3% in 2012-2013, whereas it was 9.5% in 2011-2012 (decline of 0.2%).
Figures that should call for caution
While all stakeholders (Government, National Forum on Obesity and health authorities) welcome this drop in the proportion of obese or overweight children in primary schools, some prefer to be cautious. Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum is one of them. According to him, it would be necessary to obtain similar results over at least 3 consecutive years before declaring a downward trend in obesity in English schools .
He adds that these figures hide disparities and do not fully reveal the evolution of the phenomenon in this age group. The study does not show, for example, how the situation of previously obese or overweight children evolves (are they gaining more weight or not?).
On the other hand, the report was able to reveal that the figures varied from poor to more affluent backgrounds. In preschool, they are 12.1% to be obese in those, and 6.4% in those. Similarly, 24.2% of primary school children (from the age of 6) are obese in poor areas, while they are only 13% in less disadvantaged areas.
National Director of Public Health, Professor Kevin Fenton calls for more efforts to make these findings the start of a sustained decline in obesity and overweight in English schools.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.