The proportion of reception children categorised as overweight and obese is higher in Jersey than in England, new figures have revealed.

The latest Jersey Child Measurement report revealed that 28% of reception children in Jersey were classified as overweight or obese this year, compared to 22% of reception children in England.

The report is based on annual measurements of the height and weight of children in reception (four to five-year-olds) and year 6 (10 to 11-year-olds).

Childhood obesity and excess weight are significant health issues for children and their families

Jersey Child Measurement Programme 2024-2025

The data showed that prevalence of children who were overweight or obese in year 6 in Jersey has “consistently been lower than or similar to England”.

The highest recorded prevalence of overweight and obesity in children in both Jersey and England was in the 2020/21 academic year, during the height of the COVID pandemic.

The report said: “Childhood obesity and excess weight are significant health issues for children and their families.

“They can result in serious implications for a child’s physical and mental health, which can continue into adulthood.

“The Jersey Child Measurement Programme data enables the government to monitor progress and plan services to tackle child obesity.”

IN NUMBERS…

  • in both reception and year 6, obesity prevalence was statistically similar in 2024/25 (12% in reception and 19% in year 6) to the previous year (8% in reception and 19% in year 6)
  • one-in-four children in reception (28%) were classified as overweight or obese, whilst around one in three children in year 6 (33%) were classified as overweight or obese
  • the proportion of children categorised as overweight or obese in both reception and year 6 was similar for girls (27% in reception and 31% in year 6) and boys (28% in reception and 35% in year 6)
  • the proportion of children classified as overweight or obese has decreased from 29% in 2000/01 – 2002/03 to 24% in 2022/23 – 2024/25, although there have been some fluctuations over the years but childhood obesity levels have remained relatively stable
  • the proportion of overweight or obese children in year 6 in the last three academic years from 2022/23 – 2024/25 (31%) has remained stable over the past decade
  • children living in rural areas in year 6 were less likely to be overweight or obese than those living in urban areas (26% in rural areas compared to 39% in urban areas)
  • in year 6, a higher proportion of children who attended non-fee-paying schools were classified as overweight or obese (35%) compared to those attending fee-paying schools (22%)
  • in reception, from 2007/08 – 2009/10 to 2022/23 – 2024/25, the prevalence of overweight or obese children in non fee-paying schools fluctuated slightly but remained statistically similar, decreasing from 27% to 25%
  • in the most recent three-year period, there was “no significant difference” between fee-paying and non-fee-paying schools, the smallest gap recorded in the past 16 years
  • the proportion of children in reception categorised as overweight and obese was higher in Jersey (28%) than in England (22%)
  • the proportion of children in year 6 categorised as overweight and obese was similar in Jersey (33%) to that in England (36%)