Comparing the latest obesity statistics with a survey taken in 2008, Statistics Jersey, which collated the data, said that although the figures for adult obesity appear to have increased by 5% over ten years, the nature of the sampling means that the differential is ‘on the edge of significance’ statistically. They describe the two figures as ‘reasonably similar’.
According to the latest report, while a similar proportion of adult males and females were classified as obese, 39% of males were classed as overweight compared to 27% of females. The proportion of obese or overweight adults rises from two-fifths in the 16 to 34 age group to three-fifths among those over the age of 45.
A separate survey of children indicates that two in ten children entering primary school are overweight or obese, a figure which rises to three in ten children at the point they complete their primary education with a higher prevalence of obesity among males than females at that point.
According to the latest Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle survey, which the JEP reported on yesterday, three-quarters of adults surveyed described themselves as ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ active, but only 51% meet UK National Health Service guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
Meanwhile, a quarter of Year 6 children (27% of males, 23% of females) meet the NHS guidelines of being physically active for at least an hour per day on every day of the previous week, compared to 19% of Year 10 males and 12% of Year 10 females.
