Trends in childhood height and weight, and socioeconomic inequalities

摘要

Childhood obesity is a global public health problem. InEngland, UK, more than a third of children leave primaryschool overweight or obese.1 Being obese in childhoodincreases the chance of being obese as an adult anddoubles the risk of dying prematurely.2 The cost ofobesity to the National Health Service (NHS) in Englandalone is estimated to be ￡6·1 billion annually.3 Evidencesuggests that prevalence of childhood obesity is stronglycorrelated with socioeconomic status and is highestamong children living in the most deprived areas. A childliving in the most deprived 10% of areas in Englandtoday is more than twice as likely to be obese than a childliving in the least deprived 10% of areas in England. Evenmore alarming is the widening inequality in childhoodobesity, with rates of obesity in those aged 10–11 yearsimproving or remaining relatively stable among lessdeprived communities and increasing in the mostdeprived communities.1 Surveillance of childhood obesityis essential in understanding the nature of the problemand monitoring the e?ectiveness of public policy.