Obese kids shocker

Weighty issues

Since 2001/02, the overall proportion of primary one children who are at risk of overweight or obesity has remained fairly constant across Scotland.

However, there are now substantial inequalities in unhealthy weight among children. The proportion of primary one children at risk of being overweight or obese has increased in the most deprived areas but decreased in the least deprived areas.

Boys in primary one are slightly less likely than girls to have a healthy weight.

A child’s BMI is calculated by dividing their weight (in kilogrammes) by their height (in metres) squared.

Children are then allocated to a healthy or unhealthy weight category by comparing their BMI to the range of BMIS seen among a reference group of children of the same age and sex.

This summary provides information on the proportion of children found to be at risk of having an unhealthy weight based on the thresholds used for monitoring the health of the child population.

There is continued concern over the levels of overweight and obesity among children in Scotland.

Obesity during childhood is a health concern in itself, and it can also lead to physical and mental health problems throughout adulthood.

Being underweight in childhood can also be a cause for concern, indicating poor nutritional intake and/ or underlying medical problems.

Encouraging children and young people to adopt more active lifestyles and healthier diets continues to be a key priority Marc Conroy