Diet and healthy weight: monitoring report 2020

Children at risk of overweight and obesity

Scottish Health Survey

Latest results

• In 2019, 16% of children aged 2 to 15 were at risk of obesity, with a further 14% at risk of overweight.
• Since 1998, the proportion of children aged 2-15 at risk of overweight (including obesity) has fluctuated between 26% and 33%, and was 30% in 2019.
• In 2019, 68% of children aged 2 to 15 had a weight within the healthy range.
• In 2019, the figure for those at risk of overweight (including obesity) and at risk of obesity was higher for boys than for girls (32% compared to 28% and 17% compared to 15% respectively). However, these differences were not statistically significant. 
• The figure for those at risk of overweight (including obesity) was highest among  children aged 12 to 15 (37%). Of girls this age, 39% were at risk of overweight including obesity. The equivalent figure for boys of the same age was 34%.

• In 2019, a higher proportion of children were at risk of obesity in Scotland's most deprived areas (24%) that in the least deprived areas (9%). The gap between rates in the most and least deprived areas has fluctuated over time, with a high of 15 percentage points in 2019.

Definitions

Weight within the healthy range – BMI above 2^nd and below 85^th percentile

At risk of overweight (including obesity) – BMI at or above 85^th percentile

At risk of obesity – BMI at or above 95^th percentile

Geography available

Scotland level.

Equalities data

Breakdowns by age, sex, deprivation (SIMD), equivalised income and disability (limiting long-term illness) are available in the SHeS 2019 supplementary tables. 

Rationale for including children at risk of overweight and obesity

These data are useful to monitor changes in the proportion of Scotland's children who are within the healthy weight range, overweight and obesity. Different patterns can be identified between boys and girls, between children who live in the most and least deprived areas and among children of different ages.

Factors influencing children at risk of overweight and obesity^[9]

• Diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour are strongly associated with BMI.
• Parental BMI: children with a parent suffering from obesity are significantly more likely to be at risk of being overweight including obesity than both those with an overweight parent and those with no overweight parent. They are also significantly more likely to be at risk of obesity.