More than 20% of Shropshire Year 6 childen are obese - but county has one of the lowest rates in the West Midlands
The figures for childhood obesity of Reception age and Year 6 show high obesity rates across England are obese - but the figures show Shropshire ranks lower that many areas.
The latest data from the National Child Measurement Programme shows that one in 10 children in the first year of primary school in England is obese – the highest figure on record outside the pandemic.
Across the country, 10.5% of children in Reception and more than a fifth in Year 6 (the last year of primary school) were obese in 2024/25, with boys more likely to be overweight than girls.
Excluding the peak during the first year of the pandemic, this is the highest obesity prevalence seen in Reception year since records began in 2006/07, and is higher than the 9.6% in 2023/24.
But looking at the figures a little closer to home, it was found that among Reception children (aged four to five), Telford & Wrekin has an estimated 11.3% of pupils classed as obese — slightly above the national average — while nearby Shropshire records a lower rate of 10.1%.
By Year 6 (ages 10 to 11), the gap widens further. Obesity among Telford & Wrekin pupils rises to 23.9%, compared with 20.1% in Shropshire.
The national report also said children from black ethnic groups are more likely to be living with obesity, while children from Indian ethnic groups are more likely to be underweight.
Obesity prevalence continues to be more than double in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas for both Reception children (14.0% compared to 6.9%) and Year 6 (29.3% compared to 13.5%).
