Obesity in children aged four and five at highest level outside of pandemic

One in 10 children in the first year of primary school in England is obese - the highest it has been on record outside the COVID-19 pandemic, figures show.

Data from the National Child Measurement Programme found 10.5% of children in reception and more than a fifth in year 6 (the last year of primary school) were obese in 2024/25, with boys more likely to be overweight than girls.

Some 13% of children in reception are also overweight, meaning almost one in four of all children in this age group are overweight or obese.

Excluding the peak during the first year of the pandemic, this is the highest obesity prevalence seen in reception year since records began in 2006/07 and is higher than the 9.6% in 2023/24.

Lee Parkinson MBE, a primary school teacher from Manchester, said: "After the 2012 Olympics, school sport funding was cut, and the promise to "inspire a generation" faded fast due to austerity measures.

"Many primary schools lost specialist PE teachers and local competitions, and PE time is often squeezed as pressures on the timetable grow. You can't separate childhood obesity from poverty either.

"Schools play their part through PE and lessons about healthy lifestyles, but they can't solve this alone. We need to reinvest in early years support, rebuild affordable community sport, and make healthy choices realistic for all families, not just the privileged few."

In another report regarding children's nutrition, 94% of teachers said that healthy eating improved the behaviour of children.

The new figures revealed the importance of nutritious food while at school, not only to health and wellbeing, but for pupil behaviour, too.

The majority of teachers (94%) said a switch in diet made a real change in the classroom, with sharper focus, more energy and better behaviour.

Trussell research highlights that around 9.3 million people in the UK, including three million children, are experiencing food insecurity and today, one in four children under the age of five are at risk of needing to use a food bank.

Mr Parkinson said: "Obviously with the poverty element, if children are coming into school hungry it will make it harder for them to concentrate."

This is a problem that can be particularly heightened in the school holidays. Last summer, one in 12 respondents said that in the past their children have had to miss meals due to financial constraints - a problem alleviated during term time by access to free school meals.

Mr Parkinson said: "I don't know if it is lack of knowledge or the fact that unhealthy food is easier to access or what families can afford. When parents are working long hours and struggling to make ends meet, healthy living becomes another impossible task."

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The majority (88%) of teachers have experienced children coming to school hungry - 66% say they brought in food from home or purchased healthy food for their pupils. Most of those asked (98%) agree nutrition is a key foundation to learning but 83% say it can be difficult to inspire children when it comes to healthy eating.

Overall, 1.1 million children were measured at state-maintained schools as part of the data collection.

(c) Sky News 2025: Obesity in children aged four and five at highest level outside of pandemic