Childhood obesity and overweight in children under five years old

Over one-quarter of children in Wales aged four-to-five are overweight or obese. Children who are overweight or obese may experience health issues during childhood or adolescence. They are also more likely to be overweight or obese through to adulthood, which can cause associated health problems.  

Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre, in collaboration with Health Technology Wales, conducted a rapid review of existing research evidence. They looked for factors that were associated with childhood obesity and/or overweight in children under five years old. 

Key findings 
A wide range of biological, psychological, environmental and societal factors were consistently found to be associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity and/or overweight. 

There was high-certainty evidence to suggest that helping overweight women (who are thinking about, or trying to get pregnant) to lose weight, reducing rapid weight gain during the first 12 months of life, and providing opportunities for children of working mothers to eat healthier foods and be more physically active, would support children to have a healthier weight.

The review team found moderate evidence that supports promoting breastfeeding, reducing rapid weight gain during the first 13 months of life, monitoring the child’s growth rate during the first two years of life (particularly for babies with catch-up growth), promoting baby-led weaning, reducing consumption of sugary drinks, and educating and supporting the wider caregivers to provide healthier foods and opportunities for play and physical activity.

We are pleased to have taken part in this exciting project which provides a valuable insight into the factors associated with obesity in children under five. It is particularly important that this research has taken place in Wales, where over one quarter of children aged four to five are overweight or obese. We look forward to continuing to work as a Collaborating Partner of the Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre, which aims to ensure that health and social care policies in Wales are based on the most up to date research available.

                                                    Dr Susan Myles, Director, Health Technology Wales

The work was requested by the Welsh Government Public Health and Inequalities team, as part of the Wellbeing and Future Generations Act work, to help inform the Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales strategy and delivery plans.  The Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre research teams work closely with the Welsh Government to provide an evidence base to improve health and social care policy and provision across Wales.

         Professor Adrian Edwards, Director of the Health and Care Research Wales                         Evidence Centre

Important to note

The findings from this review may differ from other reviews. This review only reports on obesity or overweight outcomes where they are measured before the age of five years, whereas previous reviews have measured these outcomes over a wider age range. This review also focuses on evidence that specifically classifies children as overweight or obese using body mass index (or other well-accepted measures for children under two years).

Read the full report in the Evidence Centre’s Report Library