Why is this National Indicator important?
Maintaining a healthy weight during childhood is important for both physical health and mental wellbeing. While this indicator encompasses both underweight and overweight, currently the wider public health challenge relates to rising levels of obesity and overweight children in Scotland. Being overweight or obese during childhood is a health concern in itself, but when it continues into adulthood it can lead to physical and mental health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, increased risk of certain cancers, low self-esteem and depression.
What will influence this National Indicator?
Obesity develops when calorie intake exceeds energy expenditure. However, this simple picture is affected by a range of complex social and environmental factors that strongly influence individual choices. These include, for example: marketing of energy-dense and high salt foods to children; increases in sedentary behaviour and associated snacking; creation of environments that are safe for walking and play; access to active travel options; and health-promoting schools that support physical activity and healthy eating both within and outwith the curriculum.
What is the Government's role?
To manage childhood obesity, we need to help children increase their physical activity (and consequently their energy expenditure) while reducing their calorie intake. Tackling the environmental, social and behavioural influences, including the family context, is an important part of this. The Scottish Government and COSLA published the Prevention of Obesity Route Map in February 2010. The Route map makes a long-term commitment (over 20 years) to tackling overweight and obesity, to help achieve a healthier Scotland and contribute towards sustainable economic growth. The Route Map Action Plan sets out actions for stakeholders across Scottish society, including key roles for Community Planning Partnerships working in collaboration with the NHS and other stakeholders. Child healthy weight interventions tailored to local needs to support families whose children are struggling with their weight and want to take action are being delivered. Over 8,000 interventions were delivered during 2008-11, with a new target for a further 14,910 interventions set for delivery by March 2014. Additionally the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 115 (2010) provides guidelines for clinical staff on the management of obesity in children and adults.
How is Scotland performing?
The proportion of healthy weight children has fluctuated but has not changed significantly over time. It fell from 70.3% in 1998 to 66.4% in 2008 and then rose to 69.5% in 2009 before dropping slightly to 67.5% in 2010. Patterns for boys and girls are different, with most of the fluctuations occurring in boys whilst the figures for girls have been fairly stable over time.
The data for this chart is available at the bottom of the page
Source: Scottish Health Survey
Criteria for recent change
The evaluation is based on: any difference within 2 percentage points of last year's figure suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. An increase of 2 percentage points or more suggests the position is improving; whereas a decrease of 2 percentage points or more suggests the position is worsening.
Further Information
For information on general methodological approach, please click here.
Scotland Performs Technical Note
Who are our partners?
NHS Scotland
Local Authorities
Schools
Food Standards Agency Scotland
The Food and Drink Industry
Third Sector Organisations
Sportscotland
Related Strategic Objectives
Healthier
Smarter
Wealthier and Fairer