Rise in childhood obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to lifelong health consequences

A dramatic increase in child obesity levels during the pandemic is set to cost the UK over £8 billion according to NIHR researchers.

Researchers led by NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and the University of Southampton, in collaboration with researchers from the NIHR Imperial BRC, analysed data from the National Child Measurement Programme. They looked at BMI data on children in their first year of school (reception year, age 4–5) and their last year of primary education (year 6, age 10–11). 

Click here to access the article.