Agenda item

The Chair introduced the report which outlined the recent data released from the National Child Measurement Programme which showed an increase in obesity rates in primary age children and provided an update on the LGA’s current work in relation to childhood obesity.

The Chair invited Loretta Sollars, Deputy Head Children Young People & Families, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Department of Health and Social Care, to present National Child Measurement Programme: Annual results 2020/21.

Loretta informed the Board that the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) was a statutory requirement for all local authorities, which measured the height and weight of children in England annually and provided data on the number of children in reception and year 6 who are underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obese or severely obese.

Loretta highlighted the following key points from the presentation:

•           A steep increase in childhood obesity had been recorded since the programme began in 2006/7 for both reception and Year 6.

•           Obesity prevalence among children living in the most deprived areas was more than double that of those living in the least deprived areas.

•           Boys continued to have a higher prevalence of obesity than girls and was greater in older age groups.

•           Obesity prevalence was highest among Black children in reception and Year 6 and lowest for Chinese children in reception and Year 6.

•           Data samples collected in 2020/2 were based on a selection of schools to produce a national representative sample, smaller than previous years due to closures.

Following the discussion. Members made the following comments:

•           The Chair questioned if the data looked at regional variation, as it would be interesting to look at different cohorts to further explore areas of disproportionality. Loretta replied that the regional breakdown which included deprivation, gender and ethnicity was mirrored at a regional level. But the overall levels would differ with some areas either above or below the national average.

•           Members commented if there were any conclusions that could be drawn from the findings in the long run and if there was any information regarding the financial implications on the system. Loretta explained that it was significant to look at this with a whole system approach as there was no single factor that contributed to obesity but rather an accumulation of factors. She went on to say it was important to understand and consider that children were at school for limited proportion of the day, and it was important to evaluate their environment and influences around them that could contribute to obesity levels. Regarding financial implications, information could be found on Making obesity everybody’s business: A whole systems approach to obesity report on the LGA website.

•           Members highlighted that ethnicity correlated massively with deprivation, as biologically it wasn’t to do with their makeup but rather to do with ethnicities being in deprived situations. Loretta replied that deprivation was the major contributor of obesity. Upon further complex analysis, the link between the impact of deprivation and ethnicity showed that there was still something attributable to ethnicity, whether that was due to physical aspects of ethnicity or the cultural environment.

•           Members raised if more could be done to influence what meals were provided to children who received free school meals, as schools were unable to provide nutritious meals to children due to a lack of staff during COVID. Additionally, a mandatory traffic light system on food packaging would allow families and children to make better informed choices.

•           Members commented if local authorities be given more powers to stop fast-food businesses from serving children unhealthy meals. Lorretta replied that this was something the Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme was looking at in terms of planning powers. Paul Ogden, Senior Adviser, Adult Social Care and Health added that the LGA had been lobbying for councils to have greater licencing flexibility for some time and there were examples of local authorities who had been successful in managing the cluttering of fast-food outlets, which could be shared. 

The Chair thanked Loretta for taking time to speak to the Board and share her insightful findings from the Childhood Obesity presentation.

Direction:

Members of the Board noted the Childhood Obesity report.