The study from the Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and the National Institute for Health and Care Research found that childhood obesity levels surged from 2019 to 2021 due to a change in young people’s eating habits and activity levels during national Covid-19 lockdowns.
Increased screen time, lack of sleep and outdoor physical activity was attributed to rising obesity levels.
Data was drawn from the National Childhood Measurement Programme, which weighs children at the beginning and end of primary school, to calculate childhood obesity rates.
While obesity in reception-aged pupils increased by 45 per cent from 2019 to 2021, the data highlights that the number has reduced to be in line with pre-pandemic levels. However, obesity in children aged 10 and 11 remained higher than expected with an increase of 56,000 children classed as obese compared with pre-pandemic levels.
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