The Government is likely to miss its childhood obesity targets despite a fall in obesity rates in primary school children, council chiefs have warned today.
New figures from NHS Digital show obesity rates among four and five-year-olds in reception classes decreased from 14.4%2 in 2020/21 to 10.4% in 2021/22.
However, rates of obesity in primary school children reached the highest recorded levels the previous academic year.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said the figures show there is 'still much to do' to avoid the obesity crisis.
Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board said: 'Our analysis already warned the Government were set to miss their target to halve childhood obesity by 2030 without drastic action and these new figures still show this is likely to be the case, with obesity levels still higher than pre pandemic levels.
'Councils are working to support children and families to live healthy lives and reduce pressure on other public services, from health visitors supporting new parents to weight management services and subsidised leisure facilities, but more needs to be done, especially to reduce the gap between the most and least deprived.'
The LGA is calling for Healthy Start Vouchers to be extended, the eligibility criteria of Free School Meals to be increased, and money raised from the soft drinks industry levy to be reinvested in council-run programmes.
