Chapter 2: Enabling children, girls and women to live their lives to the fullest
Understanding body weight and physical activity
In England, children take part in the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP).
(Knight M, Bunch K, Patel R, et al. (2022). Saving lives, improving mothers' care. MBRRACE-UK)
The information from this programme is useful as it helps us to find out if children are growing as expected, lets us see trends over time, and enables us to provide better health services for children.
All children in Reception (ages four and five) and in Year 6 (ages 10 and 11) are measured once a year. Trained staff measure the height and weight of children while they are in their clothes at school. Measurements are done sensitively and in private. The results are not shared with teachers or other children.
Once measured, children are categorised as:
| underweight | healthy weight | overweight | obese |
Nationally: About one in five children in Reception are overweight or obese, rising to one in three in Year six.
In Gateshead: About one in four children in Reception are overweight or obese, rising to two in five in Year six.
(Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. (2023) Public health profiles.)
In 2021/22 in the North East, over 70% of children in Reception year are of a healthy weight. We have more boys than girls in this age group who are underweight. However, the percentage of children in the North East who are at a healthy weight reduces to around 58% by Year 6, with more girls being a healthy weight. (Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. (2023) Public health profiles)
The differences in overweight and obesity prevalence between boys and girls may be driven, in part, by social and cultural factors. Research shows that girls tend to eat smaller portions and prefer healthier options to maintain their appearance. Girls also report higher levels of weight-related concerns, including their desire to lose weight, feelings of guilt for overeating and lower self-esteem. In contrast, research finds that boys eat until they 'feel full' and focus on optimising their physical performance.
These cultural ideals for children are often strengthened in the home, where differences in parental nurturing, feeding practices and attitudes occur. Studies have shown that parents tend to be more concerned about weight status in their daughters than their sons, with their sons often encouraged to eat more. There are also sex-related influences, such as body composition and hormones.
(Shah B, Tombeau Cost K, Fuller A et al. (2020). Sex and gender differences in childhood obesity: contributing to the research agenda. BMJ Nutrition and Preventative Health. 3(2): 387-290.)