Little change in child obesity, report finds

A new report on obesity in Jersey's children shows little change in the past year.

In the Jersey Child Measurement Programme (JCMP) the heights and weights of four to five-year-olds in Reception and 10 to 11-year-olds in Year 6 were measured to calculate body mass indexes.

The 2023/4 results showed 8% of children in Reception and 19% in Year 6 were classified as obese.

In 2022/3 the report found 9% of Reception children and 18% of Year 6 children were obese.

Broadening the classification, the report found one in five children in Reception (20%) and around three in ten children in Year 6 (29%) were recorded as overweight or obese.

Findings showed 40% of Year 6 children living in urban areas were overweight or obese compared to 23% of those living in rural areas.

This difference was not mirrored in children in reception, of which 25% living in urban areas were classified as overweight or obese compared to 20% living in rural areas.

The report was carried out by school nurses from Family Nursing and Home Care who measured a total number of 1,835 children in 2023/4.

The government said its public health department has several programmes to help families have a healthy lifestyle, including healthy primary school meals and a voucher scheme for fresh fruit and vegetables.

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