Inequalities among children who are overweight or obese

There are inequalities in rates of children being overweight or obese by sex, ethnicity, deprivation and region across the UK

This chart shows the percentage of children classified as overweight or obese by sex, ethnicity, deprivation and region in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  

• In England, the proportion of children classified as overweight or obese:
  • is similar for girls and boys (21.9% and 22.2% respectively)
  • is more than double for black children (26.9%) compared to Chinese children (10.3%)
  • increases with deprivation. Over a quarter of children living in the most deprived tenth (26.1%) are classified as overweight or obese, compared with 17% of children in the least deprived tenth
  • is highest in the North East (24.7%) and lowest in the East of England (20.4%).
• In Wales, the proportion of children classified as overweight or obese:
  • is similar for girls and boys (24.4% and 25.2% respectively)
  • is highest for black, black British, Caribbean or African children (29.3%) and lowest for Asian or Asian British children (19.1%)
  • increases with deprivation. 27.8% of children living in the most deprived fifth of local areas are classified as overweight or obese, compared with 19.7% of children in the least deprived fifth of local areas.
• In Scotland, the proportion of children classified as overweight or obese:
  • is similar for girls and boys (22.2% and 22.3% respectively)
  • increases with deprivation. Children living in the most deprived fifth of local areas are 1.5 times as likely to be classified as overweight or obese compared with children in the least deprived fifth of local areas (26.7% compared with 16.9%).
• In Northern Ireland, the proportion of children classified as overweight or obese:
  • is higher for girls (25.6%) than boys (17.2%)
  • increases with deprivation. Almost a quarter of children living in the most deprived fifth of local areas are classified as overweight or obese (24.7%), compared with 17.8% of children in the least deprived fifth of local areas.