The Scottish Health Survey 2011 - volume 2: children

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


Table 5.6 Children's body mass index (BMI), and prevalence of overweight and obesity in children, 2008-2011 combined, by equivalised household income quintile and sex

Aged 2-15 with both valid height and weight measurementsa 2008-2011 combined
BMI status (National BMI percentiles) Equivalised annual household income quintile
1st
(highest)
2nd 3rd 4th 5th
(lowest)
% % % % %
Boys
Underweightb 1.5 1.1 2.2 2.9 2.9
Healthy weightc 67.7 67.4 64.1 64.9 62.8
Overweightd 16.6 16.0 18.0 15.8 14.6
Obese / morbidly obesee 14.2 15.5 15.8 16.4 19.7
Outwith healthy rangef 32.3 32.6 35.9 35.1 37.2
Overweight (including obese)g 30.8 31.5 33.8 32.2 34.3
Girls
Underweightb 1.8 1.8 3.4 2.0 1.9
Healthy weightc 69.8 72.2 69.3 67.7 74.1
Overweightd 14.4 15.8 13.9 13.8 10.8
Obese / morbidly obesee 14.0 10.3 13.5 16.6 13.2
Outwith healthy rangef 30.2 27.9 30.7 32.3 25.9
Overweight (including obese)g 28.4 26.1 27.4 30.3 24.0
All children
Underweightb 1.6 1.4 2.8 2.5 2.4
Healthy weightc 68.7 69.8 66.7 66.2 68.3
Overweightd 15.5 15.9 15.9 14.8 12.7
Obese / morbidly obesee 14.1 12.9 14.6 16.5 16.5
Outwith healthy rangef 31.3 30.2 33.3 33.8 31.7
Overweight (including obese)g 29.6 28.8 30.6 31.3 29.3
Bases (weighted):
Boys 482 551 503 531 536
Girls 452 552 506 473 515
All children 935 1104 1010 1005 1050
Bases (unweighted):
Boys 473 580 517 524 512
Girls 449 564 506 476 476
All children 922 1144 1023 1000 988

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.

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Email: Julie Ramsay

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