Highlights

Levels of overweight and obesity 

• Among children aged 2-15, 16% of boys and 15% of girls were classed as obese, and 14% of both boys and girls were classed as overweight. This is similar to the previous year.

Trends 

• The prevalence of obesity increased from 1995 to around 2004 and 2005, where obesity peaked at 18% to 19% among both boys and girls.
• Among children aged 11-15, the proportion who were obese has remained at a broadly similar level since the peak in 2004 and 2005.
• Among those aged 2-10 the proportion who were obese has decreased significantly from 17% of both boys and girls in 2005 to 13% of boys and 12% of girls in 2013.

Age 

• In both boys and girls aged 2-15, average BMI (body mass index) increased with age, from 16.8kg/m² for boys and 16.4kg/m² for girls aged 2-4 to 20.8kg/m² for boys and 22.2kg/m² for girls aged 13-15.  

Income 

• 22% of boys and 21% of girls aged 2-15 from the lowest household income group were obese, compared with 7% for boys and 6% for girls from the highest household income group. 

Perception of weight 

• 15% of children who thought that they were about the right weight were actually overweight while 8% were obese.