National Child Measurement Programme, England, 2021/22 school year

The prevalence of children living with obesity was more than twice as high in year 6 (23.4% which equates to 141,145 children) compared to reception (10.1%, 57,540 children).

The prevalence of children living severe with obesity was twice as high in year 6 (5.8%) compared to reception (2.9%).

The proportion of underweight children was higher in year 6 (1.5%) than in reception (1.2%).

Around three quarters of reception children were healthy weight (76.5%). In year 6, 60.8% of children were a healthy weight.

Please note that the displayed percentages sum to over 100% because the children living with obesity percentage of 10.1% includes the children living with severe obesity percentage of 2.9%.

Please note that the displayed percentages sum to over 100% because the children living with obesity percentage of 23.4% includes the children living with severe obesity percentage of 5.8%.

The prevalence of children living with obesity in reception had been relatively stable since 2006/07 but it saw a 4.6 percentage point increase from 9.9% in 2019/20 to 14.4% in 2020/21, the main year of the Covid-19 pandemic. These latest data show a decrease to 10.1% in 2021/22 but this is still higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The prevalence of children in reception living with severe obesity has decreased from 4.7% in 2020/21 to 2.9% in 2021/22, but this is still higher than earlier years.

For year 6, the prevalence of children living with obesity was increasing slowly from 19.0% in 2010/11 to 21.0% in 2019/20 and then increased by 4.5 percentage points to 25.5% in 2020/21. These latest data show a decrease to 23.4% in 2021/22 which is above pre-pandemic levels.

The prevalence of children in year 6 living with severe obesity has decreased from 6.3% in 2020/21 to 5.8% in 2021/22, but this is still higher than earlier years.

For more information: Table 1b National Child Measurement Programme, England, 2021/22 school year.

The difference in the prevalence of children living with obesity between boys and girls was larger in year 6 than reception. 2021/22 data shows that 10.3% of boys and 9.9% of girls in reception were living with obesity and that 26.4% of boys and 20.4% of girls in year 6 were living with obesity.

In reception, underweight prevalence was higher for boys (1.6%) than for girls (0.8%). However, in year 6 underweight prevalence was higher for girls (1.6%) than for boys (1.3%). 

In reception, 75.9% of boys were healthy weight compared to 77.2% of girls. In year 6, 58.0% of boys were healthy weight compared to 63.7% of girls. 

Note: The proportion of children in the healthy weight category is not shown as it would lengthen the scale making the differences for the other categories harder to see.   

For more information: Table 1a National Child Measurement Programme, England, 2021/22 school year.