States pupils 70% more likely overweight - report

Children at Guernsey's States-run schools are 70% more likely to be unhealthily overweight than their contemporaries from fee-paying schools, according to a new report.

The Guernsey Child Measurement Programme report found nearly 29% of children in States-run schools were either overweight or obese, compared to fewer than 17% of those from private schools.

Dr Nicola Brink, director of public health, said the States needed to "focus more" on "health inequality".

Dr Brink said previous studies had shown "the cost and time needed to prepare healthy foods" were barriers to healthy eating so "healthy choices are not always easy or possible for some islanders".

The study used for the latest States' report, examined data from children in year one (five to six year olds) and year five (nine to 10 year olds).

It found more than one in four of Guernsey's year five children had "unhealthy levels of excess weight", with 11.1% overweight and 17.2% classed as obese.

Among year ones, the figure dropped to one in five, with 10.4% obese.

Jenny Cataroche, head of health intelligence, said: "While the absolute levels of excess weight among primary school-aged children are still concerning, the change over time, the stabilisation and reduction which we are currently seeing, is positive."

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