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England's Children Fatter Than Ever: New Record Highs
4 Nov
Summary
- 11% of reception-year children are obese, the highest rate since records began.
- Obesity rates double to 22.8% for 11-year-olds, showing a concerning increase.
- Childhood obesity disparities widen, with Runcorn and Sandwell worst affected.
Childhood obesity in England has reached unprecedented levels, with official figures for 2025/26 indicating that 11% of children in their reception year are obese. This marks the highest recorded rate, excluding unreliable pandemic-era statistics. The problem escalates significantly by age 11, with the obesity rate climbing to 22.8%, an increase from 22.2% in the preceding year.
Health experts express deep concern over these trends. Katharine Jenner of the Obesity Health Alliance emphasized the urgent need for government intervention, focusing on measures to enhance the affordability and accessibility of healthy food for all families. Anna Taylor from the Food Foundation highlighted the growing gap in obesity rates between children in deprived and affluent areas, criticizing the persistent failure to act upon this alarming data.
Geographic disparities are stark, with Runcorn in Cheshire reporting the highest obesity rate for four-year-olds at 15.8%. For 11-year-olds, Sandwell in the West Midlands shows the worst figures at 32.1%. Conversely, Richmond in South West London records the lowest rates. The statistics also reveal that 3% of four-year-olds and 6% of 11-year-olds are severely obese, underscoring the severity of the issue.
