Publication, Part of National Child Measurement Programme
National Child Measurement Programme, England, 2022/23 School Year
Official statistics, National statistics, Accredited official statistics
Part 4: Deprivation (based on postcode of the child)
For NCMP, we provide deprivation data based on both where the child lives (this section) and where the child attends school.
Deprivation based on where the child lives is more accurate since sometimes children attend schools in areas with different relative deprivation compared to where they live.
Consequently, this report uses the deprivation decile of the child postcode as the main analysis of deprivation for the current year.
Time series in this section are from 2013/14 due to issues with the quality and completeness of the child postcode in the early years of NCMP. Longer time series (from 2006/07) are provided for deprivation based on where the child attends school in the next section. Note that 2020/21 was the NCMP data collection year that was most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2019/20 NCMP collection was incomplete as no measurements were taken after March 2020, when schools were closed as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the report, we include information on the deprivation gap, which is defined as the difference in the prevalence figures between those children in the most deprived decile and least deprived decile. Where appropriate we show how the deprivation gap has changed over time and based on both the deprivation decile where the child lives and the deprivation decile of their school. Data quality work on the 2019/20 data indicated that the deprivation data presented in the gap analyses is comparable with earlier years and suitable to use as a pre-Covid-19 pandemic reference point.
Reception - Deprivation
There is a strong relationship between deprivation and obesity.
The prevalence of obesity was over twice as high among reception children living in the most deprived areas (12.4%) than among reception children living in the least deprived areas (5.8%).
In reception, the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined ranged from 25.7% in the most deprived areas to 16.9% for in the least deprived areas. (not shown in chart)
For more information: Table 6a, National Child Measurement Programme, England, 2022/23 school year.
The prevalence of severe obesity was over three times as high among reception children living in the most deprived areas (3.8%) than among reception children living in the least deprived areas (1.2%).
Reception – Deprivation gap for obesity
In the most deprived areas, the prevalence of obesity increased from 12.1% in 2013/14 to 20.3% in 2020/21, the year most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This decreased to 12.4% in 2022/23, which is lower than 2019/20 (pre-pandemic).
In the least deprived areas, similar changes over time were observed but to a lesser extent. Between 2013/14 and 2020/21, the prevalence obesity increased from 6.0% to 7.8%. This decreased to 5.8% in 2022/23 which is similar to 2019/20 (pre-pandemic).
Between 2013/14 and 2019/20 and between 2021/22 and 2022/23, the deprivation gap between children living in the most and least deprived areas has remained similar. It was higher in 2020/21.
In the most deprived areas, the prevalence of obesity increased in girls from 11.8% in 2013/14 to 12.2% in 2022/23 but remained similar for boys (12.5% for both years).
In the least deprived areas, the prevalence of obesity was similar for both boys and girls between 2013/14 and 2022/23.
Overall, the change in the deprivation gap over time was similar for boys and girls.
Reception – Deprivation gap for severe obesity
In the most deprived areas, the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 3.5% in 2013/14 to 7.6% in 2020/21, the year most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This decreased to 3.8% in 2022/23, which is similar to 2019/20 (pre-pandemic).
In the least deprived areas, the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 1.0% in 2013/14 to 1.9% in 2020/21. This decreased to 1.2% in 2022/23, which is similar to 2019/20 (pre-pandemic).
Between 2013/14 and 2019/20 and between 2021/22 and 2021/23, the deprivation gap for children living in the most and least deprived areas remained similar. It was higher in 2020/21.
Among reception children living in the most deprived areas, the prevalence of severe obesity increased in girls from 3.1% in 2013/14 to 3.6% in 2022/23 but remained similar for boys (3.8% and 4.1% respectively but with no statistically significant change).
Among reception children living in the least deprived areas, the prevalence of severe obesity increased in boys from 1.1% in 2013/14 to 1.3% in 2022/23 but remained similar for girls (0.9% and 1.1% respectively but with no statistically significant change).
Overall, the change in the deprivation gap over time was similar for boys and girls.
Year 6 - Deprivation
In Year 6, there is a strong relationship between deprivation and obesity.
The prevalence of obesity was over twice as high among children living in the most deprived areas (30.2%) than among children living in the least deprived areas (13.1%).
In year 6, the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined ranged from 44.5% for children living in the most deprived areas to 25.9% for children living in the least deprived areas (not shown on chart).
For more information: Table 6a, National Child Measurement Programme, England, 2022/23 school year.
The prevalence of severe obesity was over four times as high in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived areas (9.2% and 2.1% respectively).
Year 6 – Deprivation gap for obesity
Among year 6 children living in the most deprived areas, the prevalence of obesity increased from 24.6% in 2013/14 to 33.8% in 2020/21, the year most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This decreased to 30.2% in 2022/23, which is higher than 2019/20 (pre-pandemic).
In the least deprived areas, the prevalence of obesity increased from 11.8% in 2013/14 to 14.3% in 2020/21. It decreased to 13.1% in 2022/23, which is higher than 2019/0 (pre-pandemic).
The deprivation gap between children living in the most and least deprived areas was 12.8 percentage points in 2013/14 and had increased by 4.2 percentage points, to 17.1 percentage points, in 2022/23.
In the most deprived areas, the prevalence of obesity increased in girls from 22.9% in 2013/14 to 27.4% in 2022/23 and for boys from 26.3% in 2013/14 to 32.9% in 2022/23.
In the least deprived areas, the prevalence of obesity increased in boys from 12.9% in 2013/14 to 15.0% in 2022/23 and for girls from 10.5% in 2013/14 to 11.1% in 2022/23.
Overall, the increase in the deprivation gap over time was similar for boys and girls.
Year 6 – Deprivation gap for severe obesity
Among year 6 children living in the most deprived areas, the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 6.0% in 2013/14 to 10.6% in 2020/21, the year most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This decreased to 9.2% in 2022/23, which is higher than the 7.5% in 2019/20 (pre-pandemic).
In the least deprived areas, the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 1.4% in 2013/14 to 1.8% in 2020/21 and remained at a broadly similar level of 2.1% in 2021/22 and 2022/23. This is higher than the rate in 2019/20 (pre-pandemic) when it was 1.6%.
Between 2013/14 and 2022/23, the deprivation gap between children living in the most and least deprived areas increased by 2.6 percentage points.
In the most deprived areas, the prevalence of severe obesity increased in girls from 5.2% in 2013/14 to 7.6% in 2022/23 and for boys from 6.8% in 2013/14 to 10.9% in 2022/23.
In the least deprived areas, the prevalence of severe obesity increased in boys from 1.7% in 2013/14 to 2.5% in 2022/23 and for girls from 1.1% in 2013/14 to 1.5% in 2022/23.
Overall, the deprivation gap has increased more over time for boys than girls.
Last edited: 19 October 2023 12:42 pm