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Health Survey for England 2018 [NS]
Survey, Other reports and statistics, Official statistics, National statistics- Publication Date:
- 3 Dec 2019
- Geographic Coverage:
- England
- Geographical Granularity:
- Primary Care Trusts, Country, Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs), Strategic Health Authorities, Regions
- Date Range:
- 01 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2018
Summary report
This part provides a summary of the main topics from the Health Survey for England (HSE) 2018. More detailed findings can be found in the relevant topic reports that can be found attached to the overview page.
Adult obesity and waist circumference, by deprivation level
Deprivation level is based on Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintiles. For further information see section 8.7 of the HSE Methods report.
Obesity varied by area deprivation, with those in the most deprived areas having the highest mean BMI and highest prevalence of obesity. 35% of men and 37% of women living in the most deprived areas were obese compared with 20% of men and 21% of women in the least deprived areas.
Waist circumference was also associated with area deprivation, with the highest likelihood of very high waist circumference in the most deprived areas; 38% of men and 59% of women, compared with 29% of men and 40% of women in the least deprived areas.
2% of men and 4% of women were morbidly obese ('morbidly obese' are also included in the 'obese' figures).
Weight-related health risk in adults
More than half of adults (56%) were at increased, high or very high risk of chronic disease due to their waist circumference and BMI.
Women were more likely than men to be in the high or very high risk categories (46% and 35% respectively). The proportion generally increased with age.
See the topic report on ‘Overweight and obesity in adults and children’ for information on how participants were assigned to a health risk category.
Overweight and obesity in children (aged 2 to 15)
Estimates of child overweight and obesity are based on data from the 2017 and 2018 surveys combined (unless otherwise stated).
Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children
28% of children aged 2 to 15 were overweight or obese; 31% of boys and 27% of girls.
17% of boys and 15% of girls were classed as obese.
The prevalence of child overweight and obesity increased with age. 4% of boys and 9% of girls aged 2 to 4 were obese compared with 22% of boys and 21% of girls aged 13 to 15.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children by parental weight
Children’s BMI status was associated with that of their parents, for both boys and girls.
26% of children of obese mothers were themselves obese, compared with 16% of children whose mothers were overweight but not obese, and 7% of children whose mothers were neither overweight nor obese.
22% of children of obese fathers were themselves obese, compared with 14% of children whose fathers were overweight but not obese, and 9% of children whose fathers were neither overweight nor obese.
Consumption of 5 or more portions a day among children
In 2018, 18% of children aged between 5 and 15 ate the recommended five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Since 2007, the prevalence of eating five or more portions has varied between 16% and 23% with no clear trend.
Use of e-cigarettes (vaping) among adults
6% of all adults were current users of e-cigarettes; 8% of men and 5% of women.
18% of current cigarette smokers were current e-cigarette users, and 36% had never used e-cigarettes. Nearly all (95%) of adults that have never regularly smoked cigarettes have also never used e-cigarettes.
Smoking among children (aged 8 to 15)
Whether children have ever smoked a cigarette
The proportion of children aged 8 to 15 who had ever smoked has decreased, from 19% in 1997 to 4% in 2018.
In 2018, 9% of children aged 13 to 15 had ever tried smoking, compared to 1% of those aged 11 to 12 and 0.1% of those aged 8 to 10.
Use of e-cigarettes (vaping) among children
Estimates of e-cigarette use in children are based on data from 2017 and 2018 combined.
7% of 8 to 15 year olds had used an e-cigarette.
This increased with age, from less than 1% of 8 to 10 year olds to 2% of 11 to 12 year olds and 15% of 13 to 15 year olds.
Adults who drink at increasing or higher risk levels by deprivation level
Deprivation level is based on Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintiles. For further information see section 8.7 of the HSE Methods report.
Adults in the least deprived areas were more likely to drink at increasing or higher risk levels (27%) than those in the most deprived areas (18%).
Alcohol consumption among children (aged 8 to 15)
Whether children have ever had an alcoholic drink
The proportion of children aged 8 to 15 reporting ever having had a proper alcoholic drink - a whole drink, not just a sip - fell from 45% in 2003 to 14% in 2018.
The proportion increased with age. Only small proportions of younger children had tried drinking: 3% aged 8 to 10 and 6% aged 11 to 12, compared with 31% aged 13 to 15.
Whether children have ever had an alcoholic drink, by parental weekly alcohol consumption
A higher proportion of children had ever had a proper alcoholic drink if their mother or father drank alcohol at an increased or higher risk level (over 14 units a week) compared to those where their parents did not drink alcohol.
Children whose mother consumed alcohol at an increased or higher risk were over three times as likely to have consumed alcohol themselves than if their mother had not drunk any alcohol in the last 12 months (25% and 7% respectively).
Similarly, children whose father consumed alcohol at an increased or higher risk level were four times as likely (20%) to have tried alcohol than if he had not drunk any alcohol in the last 12 months (5%).
Prevalence of longstanding conditions in adults by type
The most common types were conditions of the musculoskeletal system (17%), conditions of the heart and circulatory system (11%), mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental conditions (9%), diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic conditions (8%), and conditions of the respiratory system (8%).
Only the most common conditions are shown below. Participants could state more than one condition.
Prevalence for most types of conditions increases with age, the main exception being mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental conditions which decreased with age.
Longstanding conditions in children (aged 0 to 15)
Prevalence of one or more longstanding conditions in children
16% of children had one or more longstanding condition; 18% of boys and 13% of girls.
The proportion increased with age, from 7% of infants (aged 0 to 1) to 20% aged 10 to 15.
Prevalence of longstanding conditions in children by type
The most common types were respiratory conditions (5%), and mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental conditions (4%).
Only the most common conditions are shown below. Participants could state more than one condition.
Prevalence of mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental conditions increased from less than 1% of infants to 7% of those aged 10 to 15, and respiratory conditions increased from 1% to 6% across the same age groups.
Prevalence of health problems in adults by type
Problems were most commonly reported for pain or discomfort (44% of men, 48% of women), and anxiety or depression (30% of men, 35% of women). Problems were more prevalent in women than in men across all domains except for self-care.
Diabetes in adults
Prevalence of doctor diagnosed diabetes in adults
The proportion of adults with doctor-diagnosed diabetes increased between 1994 and 2018, with some year-on-year fluctuation; from 3% to 8% among men, and from 2% to 6% among women.
Prevalence of total diabetes in adults
Total diabetes comprises those with doctor diagnosed diabetes and those with an HbA1c level of 48mmol/mol or above who did not report having doctor-diagnosed diabetes.
In 2018, total diabetes prevalence was 8%. This comprised 6% with doctor-diagnosed diabetes and a further 2% with undiagnosed diabetes. More men (9%) than women (7%) had total diabetes.
There has been no significant variation in prevalence since 2011.
Raised cholesterol and hypertension in adults
Prevalence of raised total cholesterol in adults
In 2018, the prevalence of raised total cholesterol was 47%.
From 1998 to 2018 there has been a decline in the proportion of adults with raised total cholesterol from 66% to 44% among men, and from 67% to 49% among women.
Prevalence of hypertension in adults
In 2018, the prevalence of hypertension was 30% in men, and 26% in women.
Compared to 2003, untreated hypertension has fallen for both men (20% to 13%) and women (16% to 10%).
Prevalence of current asthma in adults
More women than men had current asthma (11% and 9% respectively). This includes 8% of women and 5% of men who reported uncontrolled asthma, and 4% of women and 3% of men who reported controlled asthma.
Asthma among children (aged 0 to 15)
Prevalence of diagnosed asthma in children
More boys than girls had diagnosed asthma; 12% of boys compared to 7% of girls.
The proportions of children with diagnosed asthma fell 10 percentage points from 20% in 2001-02 to 10% in 2018.
Prevalence of current asthma in children
8% of boys and 4% of girls had current asthma.
It was more likely in older children; 10% of children aged 10 to 12 and 8% of children aged 13 to 15, compared with 5% of children aged 0 to 9 (a similar pattern was observed for diagnosed asthma).
Older adults with need for help in last month by deprivation level
Deprivation level is based on Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintiles. For further information see section 8.7 of the HSE Methods report.
More than half of women needed help with ADLs in the most deprived areas, compared with 26% in the least deprived areas. For men, more than a third needed help with ADLs in the most deprived areas, compared with 15% in the least deprived areas. The pattern was similar for IADLs.
Unmet need for help
Older adults with unmet need for help in last month
24% of adults had some unmet need for help with ADLs. Unmet need for help with IADLs was lower at 13%.
Unmet need for help was higher among women than men; 28% of women and 19% of men had some unmet need with at least one ADL, whilst 15% and 12% respectively had some unmet need with at least one IADL.
Unmet need for care increased with age for both ADLs and IADLs.
Older adults with unmet need for help in last month by deprivation level
Deprivation level is based on Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintiles. For further information see section 8.7 of the HSE Methods report.
Unmet need for ADLs in both men (32%) and women (48%) in the most deprived areas was at least double that of men (12%) and women (24%) in the least deprived areas. There was a similar pattern for IADLs.
Participation in online gambling in the last 12 months
Online gambling excludes the national lottery.
15% of men had participated in any online gambling in the previous 12 months, compared with 4% of women. Participation peaks in the 25 to 34 age group, and then declines with age for both sexes.
Social care for older adults
Background
The social care report examines need for social care among adults aged 65 and over in England in 2018 and the extent to which these older adults receive the support they need.
Questions on social care have been asked in the survey since 2011. The need for and receipt of social care among older people is measured using a number of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs).
ADLs are activities relating to personal care and mobility about the home that are basic to daily living. IADLs are activities which, while not fundamental to functioning, are important aspects of living independently.
ADLs
IADLs
If participants indicated that they needed help for any ADL or IADL, they were then asked whether they had received any help in the last month. Unmet need has been identified where participants indicated that they needed help with a particular ADL or IADL but had not received any help with it in the last month. For further information please refer to the 'Social care for older adults' topic report.
Need for help
Older adults with need for help in last month
27% of older adults needed help with at least one ADL in the last month; 22% of men and 31% of women.
Similarly, 26% needed help with at least one IADL in the last month; 20% of men and 32% of women.
Need for help increased with age for both ADLs and IADLs.