I would like to add to the critical appraisal of Leeds' obesity figures by pointing out that the 2017/18 NCMP data https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-program...
published by Public Health England (PHE) shows a return to 2013/14 levels (9.5% in each case).
PHE also publish data for 5 year periods which smooths out random variation and allows better analysis of long term change. This shows no statistically significant change from 2009/10-2013/14 to 2013/14-2017/18. https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-program...
This latest data has been conveniently ignored by the authors and most news outlets.
As for being the first UK city to lower childhood obesity, the data is easy to cherry-pick from the NCMP tool to find other examples. Bath reduced its obesity in reception from 10.8% in 2011/12 to 7.4% in 2015/16 (this was statistically significant). But of course these examples are easy to find when you choose a peak and trough out of a longer series of data. From 2006/07 to 2017/18 Bath’s figure went from 8.4% to 7.8% and PHE assess the current long term trend as flat.
None of this means HENRY doesn't work and isn't part of a 'solution' to childhood obesity. However, the data available from the NCMP doesn't prove this and shows that Leeds is still struggling along with the rest of country (urban and rural) to change the direction of travel on childhood obesity.
Rapid Response:
Re: What’s behind reduced child obesity in Leeds?
I would like to add to the critical appraisal of Leeds' obesity figures by pointing out that the 2017/18 NCMP data https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-program...
published by Public Health England (PHE) shows a return to 2013/14 levels (9.5% in each case).
PHE also publish data for 5 year periods which smooths out random variation and allows better analysis of long term change. This shows no statistically significant change from 2009/10-2013/14 to 2013/14-2017/18. https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-program...
This latest data has been conveniently ignored by the authors and most news outlets.
As for being the first UK city to lower childhood obesity, the data is easy to cherry-pick from the NCMP tool to find other examples. Bath reduced its obesity in reception from 10.8% in 2011/12 to 7.4% in 2015/16 (this was statistically significant). But of course these examples are easy to find when you choose a peak and trough out of a longer series of data. From 2006/07 to 2017/18 Bath’s figure went from 8.4% to 7.8% and PHE assess the current long term trend as flat.
None of this means HENRY doesn't work and isn't part of a 'solution' to childhood obesity. However, the data available from the NCMP doesn't prove this and shows that Leeds is still struggling along with the rest of country (urban and rural) to change the direction of travel on childhood obesity.
Competing interests: No competing interests