The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) measures the height and weight of over one-million children in reception (age 4 to 5 years) and year 6 (age 10 to 11 years) each year in primary schools in England. The NCMP is an excellent source of surveillance data which helps increase understanding of the patterns and trends in underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity among the child population.
NCMP data for academic years 2006 to 2007 through to 2023 to 2024 is available on this profile. Prevalence of underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obesity and severe obesity can be examined at upper and lower local authority level, for Integrated Care Board (ICB) geographies, regions and England. Data quality indicators are also displayed, for example rate of participation in the NCMP.
Local authority level inequalities data is available using the reception and year 6 'prevalence of obesity (including severe obesity), 5 years of data combined' indicators. Prevalence of obesity by sex, ethnic group, and deprivation quintile can be examined for upper and lower tier local authorities in the Inequalities data view of the Obesity Profile. England and region data is also presented split by sex, ethnic group, and area deprivation in the Inequalities Data view.
To help identify pockets of high child obesity prevalence within local authorities this profile includes an NCMP small area data domain. Trend data is available on the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) and obesity for Middle Super Output Areas (MSOA), and electoral wards. This data will assist planning and delivery of services for children and the targeting of resources at a local level to help reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity.
The next update is expected to be in November 2025.
The Active Lives Adult Survey conducted by Sport England collects data on self-reported height and weight among adults aged 18 years and over in Local Authority areas across England. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities uses this data to produce estimates of adult excess weight prevalence for the Public Health Outcomes Framework. The data is adjusted at an individual level to better align with measured height and weight and then age standardised to improve comparability between local authorities.
Details of the self-report adjustment and age-standardisation are available in the definitions tab within the profile.
Prevalence of obesity, and excess weight (overweight including obesity) can be examined in this profile at local authority level. Comparisons can be made between areas and over time for data from 2015 to 2016 to 2022 to 2023. These indicators are usually updated annually in May each year.
Where available, in the Inequalities Data view, data is presented split by:
Local authority data on obesity in early pregnancy is also presented in the profile.
These indicators provide local authority level estimates for several topic areas that are determinants of or related to child and adult obesity. For each topic area, where possible, the information is shown by:
