Obesity rates highest in Scotland's poorest five-year-olds

Over time, the gap has become significantly wider.

When records began in 2001/2, five-year-olds from the most and least deprived areas had very similar levels of obesity, at 9.9% and 10.1% respectively.

Since then, obesity levels have steadily declined among those from the most affluent areas - reaching 6.8% in 2022/23 - while increasing for five-year-olds in the most deprived postcodes. By 2022/23, 13.9% of children from the poorest areas were at risk of obesity.

The gap in obesity rates between children from the poorest and wealthiest areas has widened steadily over time (Image: PHS)

The Western Isles had the highest rates of obesity overall among five-year-olds - at 15.4% - though this may be skewed by a comparatively small sample size of 175 children, which represents just 69% of those eligible for measurement.

Most boards covered around 8-85% of their Primary One cohort.

The Covid pandemic saw obesity levels among five-year-old soar to a peak of 15.5% in 2020/21, although pandemic-related disruption meant that only 41% were sampled. By 2021/22, when 95% of children were measured, obesity rates stood at 11.7%.

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It comes after warnings that the Scottish Government did not have a "hope in hell" of hitting their childhood obesity targets. 

In 2018, then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon promised to halve child obesity by 2030, based against 2016 levels. 

For five-year-olds, that would mean reducing it to around 5%. 

The announcement, made alongside celebrity chef and health food campaigner Jamie Oliver was hailed by him as a signal that Ms Sturgeon has "shown she cares about the health of Scotland's kids".

Nicola Sturgeon declared a 'war on junk food' back in 2018 during an appearance with Jamie Oliver (Image: PA)

However, similar data recently published by the Scottish Health Survey revealed that overall obesity rates for children across all groups have climbed from 14% in 2016 to 18% now. 

Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum and co-founder of the Child Growth Foundation, said there was "not a hope in hell of reducing childhood obesity by 50% by 2030". 

He added: "Had Sturgeon started earlier, we may have had a good chance to get there. But now it's too late."

Lorraine Tulloch, programme lead for the Obesity Action Scotland - a think tank formed by experts at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow - said "no good progress" had been made on childhood obesity.

She added: “Today’s data indicates that there has been little progress, since records began in 2001, towards reducing the percentage of children starting primary school already living with obesity. 

"Scotland’s children deserve better. Every child, no matter their background, has a right to health and the persistent inequalities gap must be addressed.” 

Dr Tamasin Knight, consultant in public health and member of the BMA's Scottish Consultants' Committee, said the statistics were "extremely concerning". 

She added: "For too long the poorest families in Scotland have been marginalised and stigmatised without any meaningful action to deal with the fundamental inequalities in our society.

"It is utterly shameful that in 2023 this health inequality gap in children is still so vast, and unless we act now it will only continue to contribute to poorer health in the future."

Plans by the Scottish Government to introduce trailblazing restrictions on junk food price promotions, such as buy one get one free offers on biscuits, crisps and confectionary, were shelved during the pandemic as the retail trade was hit. 

Ministers are now consulting again on the proposals. 

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said there was "still work to do" to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significant reduce diet-related health inequalities

She added: "This is a public health priority, to ensure all children have a healthy diet and appropriate nutrition from birth, have a healthy weight, are encouraged to be physically active and have equal access to good quality healthcare.

"Since 2021, our Scottish milk and healthy snack scheme has been providing milk or a non-dairy alternative and a portion of fruit or vegetables in day care settings to help young children establish good nutrition before starting school, reinforcing our ambition to improve health outcomes for children and young people."