The latest Child Measurement Programme official statistics from Public Health Wales show that 27.3 per cent of four- and five-year-olds in Wales are living with overweight or obesity — the highest all-Wales prevalence recorded since the programme began in 2014-2015. 

The programme records children’s height and weight in Reception classes across Wales. This year’s report has 28,512 children included in the findings which is 94.7 per cent of four- and five-year-olds, and the highest ever level of participation. 

The proportion of children living with obesity was 12.8 per cent, higher than figures reported for England (10.5 per cent) and Scotland (11.8 per cent). The data also highlights a clear link with deprivation with the proportion of obesity in the most deprived areas of Wales (15.6 per cent) being around 75 per cent higher than in the least deprived areas (8.9 per cent). 

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