Child obesity from pandemic could cost state £8bn extra

RISING obesity among children during the pandemic could end up costing the UK more than £8billion, experts say.

Rates of obesity among four to fiveyear-olds rose by 45 per cent during 2020-21 and increased 21 per cent among 10 to 11-year-olds, amid school closures and repeated lockdowns.

Researchers behind the study which health officials found “alarming” said rising obesity during the pandemic was probably linked to less activity outdoors, with the sharpest rises seen in the poorest areas.

While obesity levels among four to five-year-olds returned to pre-pandemic levels the following year, the proportion of obese children aged 10 to 11 is still higher than before the pandemic.

Healthcare costs for this group will amount to an extra £800million, owing to conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, over their lifetimes, according to the study.

Experts from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and Southampton University warned that costs are set to climb because overweight and obese children and teenagers tend to become obese adults.

The study estimates a lifetime cost to society of £8.7 billion among such children – much of it from sick leave and lost productivity.

NHS figures released in October showed obesity levels in 10 and 11-yearolds in England fell from 23.4 per cent in 2021-22 to 22.7 per cent in 2022-23, but are still higher than the 2019-20 pre-pandemic level of 21 per cent.

Prevalence of obesity in four to fiveyear-olds fell from 10.1 per cent in 202122 to 9.2 per cent in 2022-23.

Prof Keith Godfrey said: “We think the behaviours associated with increased rates of childhood obesity become more embedded in the older children.” The study was published in the journal PLOS One.