An increasing number of children are classified as overweight in areas characterized by high single-parent households, low educational attainment, reduced income, and elevated child poverty levels. This issue may have been worsened by the pandemic. This finding is highlighted by a study from researchers at Uppsala University and Region Sörmland, in partnership with Region Skåne.
“During and following the pandemic, we have noticed a widening gap between regions regarding children’s weight. It appears that health inequalities have intensified,” states Charlotte Nylander, a researcher from Uppsala University and the Centre for Clinical Research in Region Sörmland, where she also serves as a Senior Consultant in Child Health Care.
The study included about 85 percent of all four-year-olds in Sweden for the years 2018, 2020, and 2022, totaling more than 300,000 children. The researchers gathered data on childhood overweight rates across different regions and correlated it with statistics sourced from Statistics Sweden. Notably, the Halland and Örebro regions were excluded from the study due to insufficient aggregated data for 2022.
The findings reveal that the rate of overweight or obesity among children has now returned to pre-pandemic levels of 11.4%. During the pandemic, this figure had risen to 13.3%. However, certain areas like Västernorrland, Gävleborg, and Värmland show rates that exceed the national average considerably (see attached figure).
“We had concerns when we observed the peak during the pandemic and pondered what would occur moving forward. Fortunately, it’s promising to see rates reverting to their pre-pandemic status — we welcome this news. Yet, childhood overweight remains a significant issue that we must address,” Nylander comments.
She and her fellow researchers are alarmed by the strong correlation between overweight rates and socio-economic challenges in specific regions. There is a notable increase in overweight children in areas with high numbers of single-parent families, low levels of education, lower income, and severe child poverty.
“Child healthcare is a crucial aspect of public health. It is essential to focus on socio-economically disadvantaged children within healthcare systems and offer early guidance on lifestyle choices that can be beneficial. Furthermore, we must redistribute some of the accountability from individuals to society, which requires substantial initiatives to enhance these conditions,” emphasizes researcher Mariette Derwig, a Senior Consultant in Child Health Care in Region SkÃ¥ne.
