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Three-in-ten students in Jersey will leave primary school overweight or obese, new data from Public Health has revealed.
The latest data on childhood obesity were released today in the Jersey Child Measurement Report for 2023/2024 – which regularly analyses the Body Mass Index of children in two different year groups.
The study measured 1,835 children across Reception (ages four to five) and Year 6 (ages 10-11) – with 5% of eligible children opting out at the request of the parent.
Pictured: Proportion of children in Reception classified as overweight or obese, by school type, Jersey, academic year 2007/08-2023/24.
The findings showed that one-in-five Reception children (20%) and nearly three-in-ten Year 6 children (29%) were classified as overweight or obese.
While these figures are similar to last year, they represent an improvement from the peak rates recorded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
According to the data, there was a disparity between children living in rural parishes and urban areas, with 40% of Year 6 pupils living in the latter described as being overweight or obese. This compares to 23% per cent in rural areas.
Pictured: The report explained that weight classifications were determined by calculating a child's Body Mass Index (BMI), which is their weight in kilograms divided by their squared height in metres.
The study also revealed that 10-to-11-year-olds attending non-fee-paying schools are 13% less likely to be a healthy weight compared to those attending fee-paying schools.
When compared to England, Jersey's obesity rates are similar for Reception children (20% vs 21%) but lower for Year 6 children (29% vs 37%).
Meanwhile, Guernsey's latest Child Measurement Programme showed slightly lower rates of childhood obesity and excess weight – with one-in-six students between the ages of five and six, and one-in-four students aged between nine and 10 falling into the overweight or obese category.
The study also found "moderate-to-strong evidence" for a reduction in the levels of excess weight among children in the older age group when compared with previous reports.
Pictured: Guernsey measures Year 1 and Year 5 students while Jersey measures Reception and Year 6 students.
Consistent across both Bailiwicks are the findings that older students attending non-fee-paying schools have a higher proportion of unhealthy excess weight than children at fee-paying schools
The head of a local food charity said earlier this year that poverty and food insecurity were fuelling obesity rates in Jersey.
Caring Cooks CEO Yvonne Corbin said: "As food costs climb, healthier options such as fresh fruits and vegetables become more of a luxury."
She said the charity is aiming to combat the trends by providing affordable meals in schools and free food to pupils from low-income households, while also teaching primary school children how to cook nutrias recipes as part of its education programme.
Pictured: BMI categories by year group.
In response to the latest findings, Ms Corbin called for "increased Government support" to expand these initiatives.
She said: "With additional backing, we can further enhance and expand our initiatives, aiming to significantly reduce these rates and improve the health and wellbeing of our community's children."
Meanwhile, the Government announced plans in April to provide nutritious school meals for all primary school children by the end of the year.
This follows a successful pilot scheme in ten primary schools overseen by Caring Cooks.
Guernsey's approach to combating childhood obesity is being driven by the work of the Health Improvement Commission.
The independent charity has focused its efforts on educating primary school students about healthy eating, improving school nutrition policies and menus, promoting physical activity in schools, and encouraging walking and cycling to school
CEO of the Commission Simon Sebire said: "It is far more cost-effective and fairer to prevent the development of poor health than it is to treat its consequences."
Separately to the measurement report, recent data has revealed hospital admissions for obese people has reduced across most age groups apart from young children.
Pictured: Annual admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of obesity, by age at admission. (Hospital Electronic Records)
Out of 15 different age groups examined, only four categories saw no significant improvement in the rate of admissions – with the rate of admissions remaining steady in recent years for those aged 0-19.
These figures were recently released via a request for information under the Freedom of Information Law about hospital admissions for obesity as the primary or secondary diagnosis.
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