Childhood obesity rates decline in Barking and Dagenham, outperforming national average for Reception-aged children
Barking and Dagenham has seen a continued decline in childhood obesity rates, with the percentage of children classified as above a healthy weight falling in both Reception and Year 6.
The latest figures from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) for the 2024-25 academic year reveal a positive trend. For Reception-aged children, the borough's rate of children above a healthy weight is now 0.6% lower than the national average, marking the first year on record where these youngest pupils have outperformed national figures. This contrasts with London's average, where Barking and Dagenham's rate is 1.8% higher.
While Year 6 children in the borough still remain above the London and England averages for this metric, their rates have also fallen for the third consecutive year. Barking and Dagenham's Year 6 children are 4.2% higher than the London average and 6% higher than the England average.
The NCMP data indicated that the percentage of Reception children classified above a healthy weight fell from 24% in 2023-24 to 22.9% in 2024-25. For Year 6 children, the rate decreased from 44.2% to 42.2% over the same period.
Richard Johnston, Director of Public Health for Barking and Dagenham, highlighted that these improvements are genuine and not solely due to demographic shifts. Analysis shows a decline in the rate across all major ethnic groups. For Reception children, all four of the largest ethnic groups (Asian, White, Black, and Mixed) saw a decrease in the rate of children classified above a healthy weight. For Year 6 children, Asian, White, and Black ethnicities saw their rates fall by 6.5%, 3.5%, and 5.6% respectively. Notably, Black children classified above a healthy weight saw the second largest decline at 5.6%, bringing their rate down from 51.8% to 46.2% in the previous year, indicating a convergence of rates across groups.
However, a persistent gender gap remains, with more boys than girls classified as above a healthy weight in both age groups. The report also noted improvements in data quality and ongoing efforts to address challenges related to tracking transient populations within the borough.
Addressing transient populations, where families move in and out of the borough, presents a challenge for intervention continuity. To mitigate this, local authorities are working towards agreeing on better methods for tracking these families across borders. This enhanced coordination aims to improve the tracking of transient populations and ensure interventions are not lost when families relocate, though the precise impact on future measurement accuracy is still being assessed.
Further details on the NCMP data can be found in the Public reports pack.
