The Scottish Health Survey 2011 - volume 2: children

Annual report of the Scottish Health Survey for 2011. Volume focussing on child health.


Table 5.5 Children's body mass index (BMI), and prevalence of overweight and obesity in children, 2008-2011 combined, by NS-SEC of household reference person and sex

Aged 2-15 with both valid height and weight measurements a 2008-2011 combined
BMI status (National BMI percentiles) NS-SEC of household reference person
Managerial & professional Intermediate Small employers & own account workers Lower supervisory & technical Semi-routine & routine
% % % % %
Boys
Underweightb 1.4 2.1 3.1 1.7 3.0
Healthy weightc 67.7 61.1 66.3 63.1 63.0
Overweightd 16.4 19.0 15.1 17.8 15.9
Obese / morbidly obesee 14.5 17.8 15.5 17.5 18.1
Outwith healthy rangef 32.3 38.9 33.7 36.9 37.0
Overweight (including obese)g 30.9 36.8 30.6 35.2 34.0
Girls
Underweightb 2.3 2.8 2.3 1.2 2.4
Healthy weightc 71.2 70.2 69.5 67.8 68.9
Overweightd 13.6 14.4 16.4 16.2 13.7
Obese / morbidly obesee 13.0 12.7 11.9 14.8 15.0
Outwith healthy rangef 28.8 29.9 30.6 32.2 31.2
Overweight (including obese)g 26.5 27.0 28.2 31.0 28.7
All children
Underweightb 1.8 2.5 2.7 1.4 2.7
Healthy weightc 69.4 65.7 67.8 65.4 65.9
Overweightd 15.0 16.7 15.7 17.0 14.8
Obese / morbidly obesee 13.8 15.2 13.8 16.2 16.6
Outwith healthy rangef 30.6 34.3 32.2 34.6 34.1
Overweight (including obese)g 28.8 31.9 29.5 33.2 31.4
Bases (weighted):
Boys 1172 234 277 301 787
Girls 1111 239 250 277 788
All children 2283 472 527 578 1575
Bases (unweighted):
Boys 1152 236 278 324 788
Girls 1089 234 251 292 770
All children 2241 470 529 616 1558

a Children whose BMI was more than 3 standard deviations above or below the norm for their age were excluded from the table.
b BMI at or below 5th percentile.
c BMI above 5th percentile, below 85th percentile.
d BMI at or above 85th percentile, below 95th percentile.
e BMI at or above 95th percentile.
f BMI at or below 5th percentile, at or above 85th percentile.
g BMI at or above 85th percentile.

Contact

Email: Julie Ramsay

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