Lincolnshire childhood obesity figures revealed
More than a third of children in the final year of primary school across Lincolnshire are classified as either overweight or obese, according to alarming new government statistics.
Data from the national child measurement programme revealed that across the country 22.1% of children aged 10 to 11 were classified as obese in 2023/24.
In Lincolnshire, 23.2% of the 7,535 participants in Year 6 were deemed obese, while 13.9% were classified as overweight. A total of 61.6% were found to be of a healthy weight, and the remaining 1.3% were underweight.
Boston had the highest obesity prevalence among Lincolnshire districts for children in the final year of primary school, with an average of 26.1%. However, East Lindsey District, Lincoln, and South Holland also reported obesity rates above the county average.
In 2023/24, 24.1% of children in Reception (aged 4 to 5 years) were classified as overweight or obese.
South Holland had the highest prevalence for obesity in this group, with an average of 12.1%. However, Boston, Lincoln, East Lindsey, and South Kesteven also reported rates above the county average of 10.1%.
Reflecting on the data, Andy Fox, assistant director for public health, said: “We know that many children and young people across the country can find it hard to stay a healthy weight. This isn’t something unique to Lincolnshire. Modern lifestyles can sometime make it harder to choose heathier options or find time and space for physical activity.
“In Lincolnshire, there is support for families who want help managing their weight. We’ve introduced Gloji Energy, a free 12-week programme for families with 4- to 12-year-olds. The programme helps families make small, positive changes to their lifestyles around nutrition, physical activity, mind and sleep. It includes fun physical activities, such as trampolining and dodgeball, and workshops on topics like healthy eating on a budget, bedtime routines and meal planning.
“You can find further details and eligibility criteria online at www.oneyoulincolnshire.org.uk or by calling 01522 705162 (extension 2). The website also has information on a wide range of other support to promote health and wellbeing.”
Childhood obesity rates for Year 6 pupils in Lincolnshire by district:
Boston 26.1%
East Lindsey 25.5%
Lincoln 25.3%
South Holland 24.5%
West Lindsey 22.9%
South Kesteven 20.6%
North Kesteven 19.5%
By comparison, the figures for Rutland can be found here.
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