The document analyzes data from the 2014 Scottish Health Survey on childhood overweight and obesity rates. It finds that over 30% of children aged 2-15 were at risk of overweight or obesity, with rates increasing with age. Nearly 20% of children were at risk of obesity. Girls had higher rates than boys for the first time in 2014. Children from lower-income households and more deprived areas faced higher risks of obesity. Overweight and obesity rates remained relatively steady between 2008-2014.

1. Childhood Obesity
in Scotland:
Patterns and
Trends
(2014 Data)

2. Overweight and Obesity Among
Children
More than 3 in 10 children aged
2-15 were at risk of overweight
and obesity (31%)
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
2
At Risk of Overweight & Obesity – BMI >= 85th %ile

3. Over ¼ of boys aged 2-15 were
at risk of overweight and
obesity (28%)
Over 1/3 of girls aged 2-15 were
at risk of overweight and
obesity (34%)
Overweight and Obesity Among
Children
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
3
At Risk of Overweight & Obesity – BMI >= 85th %ile

4. Overweight and Obesity Among
Children
Nearly 3 in 10 children aged
2-6 were at risk of
overweight and obesity
(27%)
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
3 in 10 children aged 7-11
were at risk of
overweight and obesity
(32%)
Nearly 4 in 10 children
aged 12-15 were at
risk of overweight and
obesity (37%)
4
At Risk of Overweight & Obesity – BMI >= 85th %ile

5. Nearly 2 in 10 children aged 2-15
were at risk of obesity (17%)
Obesity Among Children
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
5
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

6. Obesity Among Children
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
Nearly 2 in 10 boys aged 2-15
were at risk of obesity (16%)
Nearly 2 in 10 girls aged 2-15
were at risk of obesity (18%)
6
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

7. Obesity Among Children
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
Nearly 2 in 10
children aged 7-11
were at risk of
obesity (18%)
2 in 10 children aged
12-15 were at risk of
obesity (21%)
1 in 10 children
aged 2-6 were at
risk of obesity
(13%)
7
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

8. 14% of children aged 2-15 were at risk
of overweight, with a further 17% at
risk of obesity
BMI Status of Children
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
1%
68%
14%
17%
All Children
8
At Risk of Underweight (<= 2nd %ile)
Healthy Weight (> 2nd %ile to < 85th %ile)
At Risk of Overweight (>= 85th %ile to < 95th %ile)
At Risk of Obesity (>=95th %ile)

9. Prevalence of both risk of overweight
and risk of obesity was slightly higher
among girls than boys for the 1st time
in 2014
BMI Status of Children
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
1%
70%
12%
16%
Boys 2-15
1%
65%
16%
18%
Girls 2-15
At Risk of Underweight (<= 2nd %ile)
Healthy Weight (> 2nd %ile to < 85th %ile)
At Risk of Overweight (>= 85th %ile to < 95th %ile)
At Risk of Obesity (>=95th %ile)
9

10. Prevalence of risk of
overweight and obesity
increases as children get
older
BMI Status of Children
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
1%
72%
14%
13%
Age 2-6
1%
68%
13%
18%
Age 7-11
2%
61%
16%
21%
Age 12-15
10
At Risk of Underweight (<= 2nd %ile)
Healthy Weight (> 2nd %ile to < 85th %ile)
At Risk of Overweight (>= 85th %ile to < 95th %ile)
At Risk of Obesity (>=95th %ile)

11. Trends in Prevalence of Overweight
and Obesity
Between 2008 and 2014, the overall percentage of children aged 2-15 at risk of
being overweight and obese fluctuated between 29% and 33%
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
PercentageatRiskofOverweight&Obesity
Year
All Children 2-15
11
At Risk of Overweight & Obesity – BMI >= 85th %ile

12. Trends in Prevalence of Overweight
and Obesity
Until 2014, the prevalence of boys at risk of overweight and obesity was higher
than the prevalence of girls at risk
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
PercentageatRiskofOverweight&Obesity
Year
Boys 2-15 Years
Girls 2-15 Years
12
At Risk of Overweight & Obesity – BMI >= 85th %ile

13. Trends in Prevalence of Obesity
The overall percentage of children aged 2-15 who are at risk of being obese
remained relatively steady between 2008 and 2014
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
PercentageatRiskofObesity
Year
All Children 2-15
13
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

14. Trends in Prevalence of Obesity
Until 2014, the prevalence of boys at risk of obesity was higher than the
prevalence of girls at risk
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
PercentageatRiskofObesity
Year
Boys 2-15
Girls 2-15
14
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

15. Child Obesity Prevalence by
Household Income
23% of children in the bottom quintile were at risk of obesity, compared to 12%
in the top quintile
Income Measure is Equivalised Household Income
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
15
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Top Quintile ( > =
£49400)
4th Quintile ( > = £
31967 < £ 49400)
3rd Quintile ( > = £
22100 < £ 31967)
2nd Quintile ( > =
£14322 < £22100)
Bottom quintile ( > = £0
< £14322)
PercentageatRiskofObesity
Equivalised Income Quintile
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

16. Child Obesity Prevalence by
Household Income
19% of boys and 28% of girls in the bottom quintile were at risk of obesity,
compared to 11% of boys and 12% of girls in the top quintile
Income Measure is Equivalised Household Income
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
16
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Top Quintile ( > =
£49400)
4th Quintile ( > = £
31967 < £ 49400)
3rd Quintile ( > = £
22100 < £ 31967)
2nd Quintile ( > =
£14322 < £22100)
Bottom quintile ( > =
£0 < £14322)
PercentageatRiskofObesity
Equivalised Income Quintile
Boys
Girls
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

17. Child Obesity Prevalence by Area
Deprivation
22% of children in the most deprived category were at risk of obesity,
compared to 13% in the least deprived
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Least deprived 4 3 2 Most deprived
PercentageatRiskofObesity
SIMD Quintile
All Children
17
Area Deprivation Measure is Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2012
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

18. Child Obesity Prevalence by Area
Deprivation
Almost 3 in 10 girls in the bottom quintile were at risk of obesity (29%),
compared to 15% in the top quintile
17% of boys in the bottom quintile were at risk of obesity, compared to 11% in
the top quintile
Area Deprivation Measure is Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2012
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2014
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Least deprived 4 3 2 Most deprived
PercentageatRiskofObesity
SIMD Quintile
Boys
Girls
18
At Risk of Obesity – BMI >= 95th %ile

19. Source:
The Scottish Government, (2015). The Scottish Health Survey 2014.
www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/09/6648
info@obesityactionscotland.org

20. info@obesityactionscotland.orgwww.obesityactionscotland.org
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