Children who are not a healthy weight in Primary 1
About this Indicator
This indicator monitors children who are not a healthy weight in Primary 1 (overweight, obese or severely obese).
| Indicator | 2018 Baseline | 2021 Target | 2028 Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children who are not a healthy weight in Primary 1 (overweight, obese or severely obese) | 17.4% of children are not a healthy weight | The proportion of children in Primary 1 who are not a healthy weight will have reduced to no more than 12.5% | The proportion of children in Primary 1 who are not a healthy weight will have reduced to no more than 7.5% |
Source
The data comes from Public Health Scotland (previously Information Services Division Scotland). Data for NHS Shetland was selected and the body mass index (BMI) threshold type used is clinical. Clinical thresholds (used to warrant clinical intervention) provide the actual numbers of those in the BMI category whereas the epidemiological (used for population health monitoring purposes) provides the ‘at risk’ within the population.
A child’s BMI is calculated during their Primary 1 assessment by the School Nursing team. Percentages for clinically overweight, clinically obese and clinically severely obese are combined to provide data for this indicator.
Most recent data
In 2022/23, the figure for children who are not a healthy weight in Primary 1 in Shetland was 13%, a decrease on 2021/22’s 17.3% and is lower than the baseline figure of 17.4%. While an improvement on the previous year, this just misses the 2021 target of no more than 12.5%.
Why do we monitor this indicator?
There is continued concern over the level of overweight and obese children in Scotland (Public Health Scotland 2022). Maintaining a healthy weight throughout childhood is associated with many health benefits.
Overweight and obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of health problems such as risk factors for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, emotional distress and mental health difficulties. Overweight and obese children are at risk of remaining overweight or obese as adults. The higher a child’s BMI, the stronger the risk their BMI will remain high as the child grows up. Overweight and obesity in adulthood is strongly associated with various health problems.
This indicator contributes to monitoring the desired outcomes outlined in the People priority of the Partnership Plan.
“The Shetland Partnership will be prioritising prevention and working with households and communities to provide innovative solutions to the issues they face.”