A 'tsunami of ill health' concerns over city's 'stark' obesity rates

Concerns have been raised over a future 'tsunami of ill health' linked to stark obesity rates for both children and adults on Wearside.

- by Chris Binding

The issue was brought into the spotlight at the latest meeting of Sunderland's Health and Wellbeing Board during a discussion on wider citywide health statistics.

A presentation to the panel noted the high levels of Sunderland residents who were overweight or obese over the 2023-24 year.

This included almost one in four Sunderland children (23.9%) in reception (aged four to five) who were "living with overweight or obesity" and almost one in two (42.3%) in Year 6 (aged 10 to 11) "living with overweight or obesity".

During the same year, it was noted that 32.8% of adults in Sunderland were "living with obesity", which is higher than the North East level (32.5%) and significantly higher than England (26.5%).

Data also showed that 71.8% of adults in Sunderland were "living with either overweight or obesity during 2023-24".

However, the figures sparked concerns and discussion from senior health officials working across Sunderland about both the health and service implications of large numbers of residents being overweight or obese.

Scott Watson, from NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said he was drawn to indicators around obesity and "how stark they are in terms of the numbers of our children who are overweight".

"Around 25% of five year olds and 50% of 11-year-olds, 72% of adults, it's a genuine tsunami of ill health that's coming our way," he said.