With new figures revealing the scale of the childhood obesity problem, the Health and Social Care Secretary has said that government “won’t look away as kids become unhealthier”.
Data from over 1.1 million children measured across state-maintained schools in England during the academic year 2024 to 2025 shows that while the majority of children remain a healthy weight (75.4% in reception, age 4 to 5 years, and 62.2% in year 6, age 10 to 11 years), 10.5% of children in reception and 22.2% of year 6 children are living with obesity. The figures cover the period before the government’s current public health interventions have taken effect. Excluding the pandemic peak, this is the highest obesity prevalence seen in reception since measurements began in 2006 to 2007.
Children from Black ethnic groups are more likely to be living with obesity, while obesity prevalence is more than double in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived (14.0% versus 6.9% in reception and 29.3% versus 13.5% in year 6), and this deprivation gap has widened since the programme began.
This data was collected shortly after this government entered office and before its current public health interventions have taken effect. The Government says that it is urgently acting to turn the tide, remove those inequalities and improve children’s health.
Measures include:
- restrictions on junk food advertising and high-caffeine energy drinks
- expanded free school meals
- universal free breakfast clubs
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: "This government will not look away as kids get unhealthier and critics urge us to leave them behind. Obesity robs children of the best possible start in life, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems, and costs the NHS billions.
"The figures show the extent of the problem and the need to act now, which is exactly what we’re doing - in schools, on sports pitches and online - to make healthy choices the easy choices, support families and turn the tide on childhood obesity. This is prevention, not punishment, and will help families and children across the country.
"This government is restricting junk food and drink advertisements - on television before 9pm and online - to protect children from exposure to less healthy food and drink. This is expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories per year from children’s diets."
Promotions such as ‘buy one get one free’ and ‘3 for 2’ on less healthy foods have also been restricted. The policy is projected to deliver health benefits worth £2 billion and NHS savings of £180 million over 25 years.
The Government is consulting on plans to ban retailers from selling high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16.
Around 100,000 children currently consume at least one high-caffeine energy drink daily and evidence links these drinks to negative impacts on physical and mental health, sleep quality and educational outcomes. The move could prevent obesity in up to 40,000 children and deliver long-term health benefits.
The Government says that it is also improving the 'out-of-date system used to categorise what foods are less healthy' and all large businesses will need to report on how healthy their sales are. Targets will be set to drive further changes to improve kid’s health.
In August, the government also introduced new guidelines requiring baby food manufacturers to reduce sugar and salt levels and improve labelling, making it easier for parents to choose healthier options for their children.
The move addressed misleading marketing practices and gave manufacturers 18 months to reformulate products for children up to 36 months old. This formed part of the government’s broader commitment to give every child the best start in life, tackling the concerning levels of sugar found in snack foods that contribute to childhood obesity rates among the highest in western Europe.
Professor Simon Kenny, NHS National Clinical Director for Children and Young People, said: "These figures are extremely concerning - obesity can have a devastating impact on children’s health, increasing their risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer, mental health issues and many other illnesses, which can sadly lead to shorter and unhappier lives.
"The NHS is transforming the lives of thousands of children and families impacted by severe weight issues through its specialist clinics, supporting them to lose weight, live heathier lives and improve their mental health through a personalised package of support, but prevention is key and continued joined-up action by industry and wider society is essential if we want to improve the health of our younger generations."
At school, the Government is expanding free school meals to all pupils in households on Universal Credit. The new entitlement will see over half a million more children able to benefit from a free meal from next school year and lift 100,000 children out of poverty.
Access to nutritious school meals is linked to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better life outcomes, with breakfast clubs proven to boost children’s reading, writing and maths by an average of 2 months. Free breakfast clubs are being introduced so all primary school children in England will have access to a free healthy breakfast. The scheme aims to ensure no child starts school hungry.
Alongside the free school meals expansion, the government will revise the school food standards to ensure every child has access to nutritious meals.
To help provide more opportunities for children and young people to be active, the government will invest at least £400 million into grassroots sport facilities. It will also introduce new School Sports Partnerships and an Enrichment Framework with ‘school profiles’ helping provide parents with information on what schools are offering.
The figures are published in the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) annual report, academic year 2024 to 2025, England.
