The number of obese primary school children in Year Six in England has dropped for the first time in six years.
A third (33.3 per cent) of children aged between ten and 11 measured during 2012 and 2013 were obese, compared to 33.9 per cent the previous year.
The percentage of children in Reception who are obese dropped from 22.6 per cent in 2011 and 2012, to 22.2 per cent during 2012 and 2013.
The Nation Child Measurement Programme also found that, as in previous years, there was a strong positive relationship between deprivation and obesity for children in each school year.
The study found that obesity levels were significantly higher in deprived areas among primary schoolchildren.
Obesity levels were also higher in urban, rather than rural, areas in each school year. There was a higher percentage of obese or overweight boys than girls in the period between 2012 and 2013.
The study, published online, said that further years’ data is required to see if this is the start of a decline in the number of obese and overweight children in England.
