1. Patterns and trends in child obesity
These PowerPoint slides present key data and information on child obesity and excess weight in clear, easy to understand charts and graphics. These can be used freely with acknowledgement to Public Health England.
A presentation of the latest data on child obesity

2. Prevalence of excess weight among children National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
One in five children in Reception is overweight or obese (boys 23.2%, girls 21.2%)
One in three children in Year 6 is overweight or obese (boys 34.8%, girls 31.8%)
Reception age 4-5 years. Year 6 age years.
National Child Measurement Programme data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre
Child overweight (including obesity)/ excess weight: BMI ≥ 85th centile of the UK90 growth reference
Patterns and trends in child obesity

3. Prevalence of obesity among children National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
Around one in ten children in Reception is obese (boys 9.7%, girls 8.8%)
Around one in five children in Year 6 is obese (boys 20.4%, girls 17.4%)
Reception age 4-5 years. Year 6 age years.
National Child Measurement Programme data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference
Patterns and trends in child obesity

4. BMI status of children by age National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
National Child Measurement Programme data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre
This analysis uses the 2nd, 85th and 95th centiles of the British 1990 growth reference (UK90) for BMI to classify children as underweight, healthy weight, overweight and obese. These thresholds are the most frequently used for population monitoring within England.
Patterns and trends in child obesity

5. Trend in the prevalence of obesity Children aged 2-10 and years; Health Survey for England
Data from the Health Survey for England (HSE) show the prevalence of child obesity increased between 1995 and 2004, since 2004 there is evidence of a levelling off in child obesity prevalence for 2-10 and year-olds.
The published Health Survey for England data used to produce this chart are available from:
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference. 95% confidence intervals are displayed on the chart
Patterns and trends in child obesity

6. Trend in the prevalence of excess weight Children aged 2-10 and years; Health Survey for England
Data from the Health Survey for England (HSE) show the prevalence of child excess weight increased between 1995 and 2004, since 2004 there is evidence of a levelling off in child excess weight prevalence for 2-10 and year-olds.
In the Call to Action on Obesity (October 2011) the Government set out an ambition to achieve a sustained downward trend in the level of excess weight in children by 2020.
The published Health Survey for England data used to produce this chart are available from:
Child excess weight: BMI ≥ 85th centile of the UK90 growth reference. 95% confidence intervals are displayed on the chart
Patterns and trends in child obesity

7. Trend in the prevalence of obesity and excess weight Children aged 2-15 years; Health Survey for England
Data from the Health Survey for England (HSE) show the prevalence of child excess weight and child obesity increased between 1995 and Since 2004 there is evidence of a levelling off and possibly the start of a decrease in both child obesity and excess weight prevalence for 2-15 year-olds.
In the Call to Action on Obesity (October 2011) the Government set out an ambition to achieve a sustained downward trend in the level of excess weight in children by 2020.
The published Health Survey for England data used to produce this chart are available from:
Child excess weight BMI ≥ 85th centile, child obesity BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference. 95% confidence intervals are displayed on the chart
Patterns and trends in child obesity

8. Prevalence of obesity by school year, sex, and year of measurement
National Child Measurement Programme 2006/07 to 2012/13
The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) records height and weight measurements of over one million children (aged 4-5 and years) each year.
Prevalence of obesity among children in Reception (4-5 year-olds) seems to be remaining stable and is starting to show possible decreases, particularly among boys between 2006/07 and 2012/13.
Prevalence of obesity has been increasing year-on-year among boys and girls in Year 6 (10-11 year-olds) up to 2011/12. The 2012/13 data suggest a possible halt to this trend of increasing obesity prevalence among children in this age group.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Patterns and trends in child obesity
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference
95% confidence intervals are displayed on the chart

9. Prevalence of excess weight by school year,
sex, and year of measurement
National Child Measurement Programme 2006/07 to 2012/13
The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) records height and weight measurements of over one million children (aged 4-5 and years) each year.
Prevalence of excess weight (overweight including obese) among girls in Reception (4-5 year-olds) seems to have remained relatively stable since 2006/07. Among boys the prevalence of excess weight remained relatively constant between 2006/07 and 2009/10, but appears to have decreased since that time.
Prevalence of excess weight appeared to increase for both boys and girls in Year 6 (10-11 year-olds) between 2006/07 and 2011/12. The 2012/13 data suggest a possible halt to the increasing trend among children aged years.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
In the Call to Action on Obesity (October 2011) the Government set out an ambition to achieve a sustained downward trend in the level of excess weight in children by Prevalence of excess weight using NCMP data is being monitored by Local Authorities as part of the Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF)
Patterns and trends in child obesity
Child excess weight: BMI ≥ 85th centile of the UK90 growth reference
95% confidence intervals are displayed on the chart

10. BMI distribution: Reception children National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
This is the distribution of BMI z score for boys and girls in Reception year, compared to the British 1990 (UK90) growth reference baseline. BMI z score is a standard deviation score which adjusts BMI for age and sex of children based on the UK90 growth reference. The centiles for the population monitoring (85th and 95th) and clinical (91st and 98th) definition for overweight and obesity are marked as vertical lines on the chart. BMI below the 2nd centile is commonly used for underweight classification for both clinical and population monitoring definitions.
For both boys and girls, the whole curve has shifted slightly to the right since 1990, but the shape of the distribution is very similar. This shows that the rise in BMI since 1990 is spread across the whole population: that is, on average all children are slightly heavier.
Patterns and trends in child obesity

11. BMI distribution: Year 6 children National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
This is the distribution of BMI z score for boys and girls in Year 6, compared to the British 1990 (UK90) growth reference baseline. BMI z score is a standard deviation score which adjusts BMI for age and sex of children based on the UK90 growth reference. The centiles for the population monitoring (85th and 95th) and clinical (91st and 98th) definition for overweight and obesity are marked as vertical lines on the chart. BMI below the 2nd centile is commonly used for underweight classification for both clinical and population monitoring definitions.
The shape of the distribution has changed quite considerably since the 1990 baseline. The curve is now more skewed, with many more children at the right hand side of the chart, with higher BMIs, above the 85th centile.
Patterns and trends in child obesity

12. Obesity prevalence and deprivation National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13 – Year 6 children
Local authorities in England
Child obesity prevalence is strongly correlated with socioeconomic status and is highest in the most deprived Local Authorities.
This slide shows the pattern for children in Year 6, but a very similar pattern is seen in the Reception year.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference
Patterns and trends in child obesity

13. Obesity prevalence by deprivation decile National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
Child obesity prevalence is closely associated with socioeconomic status. More deprived populations tend to have higher obesity prevalence.
Obesity prevalence in the most deprived 10% of the population is approximately twice that among in the least deprived 10%.
The deprivation deciles in this analysis have been assigned using the LSOA of residence of children measured. The figures in this chart will differ slightly from the data published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre as their figures are based on the IMD decile of the LSOA of the school attended by each child.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference
Patterns and trends in child obesity

14. Obesity prevalence by deprivation decile and year of measurement National Child Measurement Programme 2006/07 to 2012/13
Children in Reception (aged 4-5 years)
The inequalities gap in child obesity appears to be widening. Prevalence of obesity appears to be decreasing at the fastest rate among the least deprived children in Reception year (age 4-5 years) and only shows signs of stabilisation or small decreases among the most deprived children.
The deprivation deciles in this analysis have been assigned using the LSOA of residence of children measured.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Patterns and trends in child obesity
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference

15. Obesity prevalence by deprivation decile and year of measurement National Child Measurement Programme 2006/07 to 2012/13
Children in Year 6 (aged years)
The inequalities gap in child obesity appears to be widening. Prevalence of obesity shows a pattern of increases over time among the most deprived Year 6 children (age years) whereas for the least deprived children prevalence has remained relatively stable.
The 2012/13 data suggests obesity prevalence may be stabilising among the most deprived children, and may be decreasing among the least deprived.
The deprivation deciles in this analysis have been assigned using the LSOA of residence of children measured.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Patterns and trends in child obesity
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference

16. Obesity prevalence by ethnic group National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
Children in Reception (aged 4-5 years)
Reception children from Indian and Mixed ethnic groups have similar prevalence of obesity to White ethnic groups. Obesity prevalence among boys in Reception is highest in the Black African, Black Other, and Bangladeshi groups. For girls in Reception obesity prevalence is highest among those from Black African, and Black Other ethnic groups. This pattern is consistent with data from previous years.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference
Patterns and trends in child obesity

17. Obesity prevalence by ethnic group National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
Children in Year 6 (aged years)
Boys in Year 6 from all minority ethnic groups are more likely to be obese than White British boys, with boys of Bangladeshi, Asian Other, and Pakistani ethnicities having the highest prevalence. For girls in Year 6, obesity prevalence is high for children from Black African and Black Other ethnic groups. This pattern is consistent with data from previous years.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference
Patterns and trends in child obesity

18. Obesity prevalence by region National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
Children in Reception (aged 4-5 years)
Prevalence of obesity among children in Reception (age 4-5 years) varies by region across England.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Patterns and trends in child obesity
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference

19. Obesity prevalence by region National Child Measurement Programme 2012/13
Children in Year 6 (aged years)
Prevalence of obesity among children in Year 6 (age years) varies by region in England.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Patterns and trends in child obesity
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference

20. Trend in obesity prevalence by region National Child Measurement Programme
Children in Reception (aged 4-5 years)
Prevalence of obesity among children in Reception (age 4-5 years) varies by region across England. The trend of decreases seen in national prevalence appears to be occurring in most of the regions across England.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference
Patterns and trends in child obesity

21. Trend in obesity prevalence by region National Child Measurement Programme
Children in Year 6 (aged years)
Prevalence of obesity among children in Year 6 (age years) varies by region across England. As seen nationally, the prevalence of obesity in this age group appears to have been increasing year-on-year up to 2011/12 across all regions, but the 2012/13 data suggest obesity prevalence appears to now be stabilising across the country.
Data source: Health and Social Care Information Centre,
Child obesity: BMI ≥ 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference
Patterns and trends in child obesity

22. Patterns and trends in child obesity
Local authority level data from the National Child Measurement Programme are available in an online tool. Users can examine data on prevalence of underweight, healthy weight, overweight (including obese), and obesity. Data can be compared between local authorities and over time for individual local authorities.
Screenshot of webpage
Patterns and trends in child obesity

23. Patterns and trends in child obesity
Local authority level data from the National Child Measurement Programme are available in an online tool. Users can examine data on prevalence of underweight, healthy weight, overweight (including obese), and obesity. Data can be compared between local authorities and over time for individual local authorities.
Screenshot of webpage
Patterns and trends in child obesity

24. For more information: www.noo.org.uk ncmp@noo.org.uk
Patterns and trends in child obesity