Wales records highest ever rate of overweight and obesity among reception-age children

Nation.Cymru Team

The latest Child Measurement Programme official statistics from Public Health Wales show that 27.3 per cent of four- and five-year-olds in Wales are living with overweight or obesity — the highest all-Wales prevalence recorded since the programme began in 2014-2015.

The programme records children’s height and weight in Reception classes across Wales. This year’s report has 28,512 children included in the findings which is 94.7 per cent of four- and five-year-olds, and the highest ever level of participation.

The proportion of children living with obesity was 12.8 per cent, higher than figures reported for England (10.5 per cent) and Scotland (11.8 per cent). The data also highlights a clear link with deprivation with the proportion of obesity in the most deprived areas of Wales (15.6 per cent) being around 75 per cent higher than in the least deprived areas (8.9 per cent).

Rachel Bath, Consultant in Public Health at Public Health Wales and lead for Early Years, said: “These findings underline how important the early years for children are. We know that Wales has strong ambitions for giving children the best start in life, and these data help point us towards where collective effort can make the greatest difference.

“The foundations for a healthy weight and a healthy future are laid from pregnancy through to starting school. Supporting healthy growth early on in a child’s life offers one of our strongest opportunities to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes, particularly for children growing up in more deprived communities.

“This is not about parents lacking knowledge or motivation. Families consistently tell us they want to do their best for their babies and young children, but the environments around them can make healthy choices harder to achieve. Creating the conditions where the healthy choice is the easy choice requires joined-up action across health, food, childcare, retail, communities and public services.

“We are looking forward to working with the Welsh Government, partners, parents and carers to enable children across Wales to thrive.”

National landscape review

Public Health Wales is working with partners to translate this evidence into practical action. This includes a national landscape review of food provision in early years settings, work with retailers to explore how the baby food environment could better support healthier choices, and direct engagement with communities to understand the real-life barriers parents face.

The permanent appointment of a National Breastfeeding Lead provides dedicated national leadership, alongside the wider Early Years and Children’s Health Team.
Rachel Bath added: “Improving outcomes in the early years is a shared responsibility. Lasting change depends on strong collaboration, with shared ownership of outcomes and better alignment of policies, funding and delivery. Longer-term, coordinated investment gives local services, communities and families the stability they need to plan and deliver what works.

“Parents can access the latest advice and guidance through Public Health Wales digital resources, covering all stages of childhood up to age seven. These resources are designed to be clear and practical, supporting families with reliable information on health and wellbeing alongside wider services available across Wales.”