Obesity

Our obesity page will update members, the health profession, parents and carers on the progress of the RCPCH objective to detect, treat, manage – and ultimately prevent – obesity.
 

• Nearly a third (31%) of children aged 2–15 are overweight or obese¹
• The direct cost of obesity to the NHS is estimated to be £4.2bn a year²
• At Reception and Year 6, children in the poorest decile are almost twice as likely to be obese compared those in the most affluent decile³

Realising our obesity objective requires all levels of society and government recognising responsibility and taking collective action to achieve a cultural shift to reduce the number of our children and young people that are obese or overweight.

Our corporate aim is that ‘by 2015, 60% of Members responding to a poll should believe the campaign has been effective and be aware of and have access to the training materials available.’ (RCPCH College Plan 2012-15)

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges launched its report Measuring Up: The Medical Profession’s Prescription for the Nation’s Obesity Crisis on 25 February. It makes 10 recommendations starting with the medical profession, but addressed across society at reducing the impact of the obesogenic environment. The AoMRC is currently discussing how best to build a campaign to take forward the recommendations. The RCPCH has provided policy and communications support to the inquiry and report. Please contact the Health Policy Lead for more information.

View the full report

See more information about the campaign

Contact the RCPCH Health Policy Lead

• Voicing our position

View our position statement on childhood obesity (PDF, 4 pages, 168KB)

• Publishing standards and guidelines

Consideration of issues around the use of BMI centile thresholds for defining underweight, overweight and obesity in children aged 2-18 years in the UK(PDF, 386KB, 15 pages) SACN, RCPCH, April 2012. This joint statement, published by the RCPCH and The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), provides advice on the use of Body Mass Index (BMI) centile thresholds for defining underweight, overweight and obesity in children aged 2-18 years in the UK.  

OSCA consensus statement on the assessment of obese children and adolescents for paediatricians (PDF, 264KB, 28 pages) Obesity Services for Children and Adolescents (OSCA) Network Group, 2009.

Storing up problems: the medical case for a slimmer nation RCPCH, RCP, FPH, 2004.

• Other resources

Tackling obesity through the Healthy Child Programme: A framework for action Mary Rudolf, 2009.

Low levels of knowledge on the assessment of underweight in children and adolescents among middle-grade doctors in England and Wales (PDF, 4 pages, 75KB) Lee Hudson, Charlotte Cumby, Robert Klaber, Dasha Nicholls, Paul Winyard, Russell Viner, 2013.

What can you do?

Read the RCPCH position statement on childhood obesity (PDF, 4 pages, 168KB)

Attend a training workshop on clinical management of obesity in children and young people

Evening of Evidence: Eating disorders and development in adolescents and younger children, 5 September, RCPCH, London

Evening of Evidence: Growth and Nutrition issues in clinical practice for the under fives, 29 October, RCPCH, London

References

1. Health and Social Care Information Centre (2009), Children’s overweight and obesity prevalence, by survey year, age-group and sex http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/HSE/Health_Survey_for_England_1995_to_1997_Revised_Childrens%20Table%204.xls

2. Department of Health, Obesity: General Information http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Obesity/DH_078098 accessed 29 September 2011

3. National Obesity Observatory (2011), Prevalence of obesity by deprivation decile: Children in Reception and Year 6 (National Child Measurement Programme 2009/10) http://www.noo.org.uk/uploads/doc/vid_11475_Slides_child.ppt