Data and Intelligence
For the latest figures related to this topic, the following Public Health England tool provides the opportunity to interrogate the latest data Obesity, physical activity and nutrition - Data | Fingertips | Department of Health and Social Care
The folowing information is a summary of the data when it was viewed in 2025 to inform this JSNA.
Child BMI Categories
In 2023/24 the prevalence of healthy weight in reception (4-5 years) was 71.6% which was lower than both the North East and England. The trend in Hartlepool has been consistently lower than England’s and has declined since 2022/23. The prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was 27.9% which was higher than both the North East and England. The trend has fluctuated in Hartlepool however has been consistently higher than the national trend. The prevalence has been consistent since 2010/11.
The prevalence of obesity (including severe obesity) in reception age children was 13.9% (4.5% for severe obesity alone) which was higher than both the region (10.8%) and England (9.6%). The prevalence of obesity (including severe obesity) has fluctuated unlike the national trend and has been higher than the national average since 2011/12.
In 2023/24 the prevalence of children underweight in year 6 (10-11 years) was 1.4% which is higher than the regional average (1.3%). The prevalence of healthy weight year 6 children was 57.0% which was lower than the regional and national average, this trend has been similar to the national and has been consistently lower than the national average.
The prevalence of overweight (14.9%), overweight (including obesity) (41.6%), obesity (including severe obesity) (26.7%) and severe obesity (7.7%) was higher in Hartlepool than the North East and England averages. The trend for overweight (including obesity) and obesity (including severe obesity) have increased alongside the national trend however more erratically. The prevalence of severe obesity in Year 6 increased significantly between 2019/20 and 2021/22 from 7.0% to 10.0% before falling to 7.7% in 2023/24.
Child BMI Categories Small Area Data
The table shows prevalence of each metric for 3 years data combined between 2021/22 to 2023/24 for each ward. The bold font indicates a value that is significantly worse than the England average.
|
Ward |
Reception prevalence of obesity (including severe obesity) |
Reception prevalence of overweight (including obesity) |
Year 6 prevalence of obesity (including severe obesity) |
Year 6 prevalence of overweight (including obesity) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Burn Valley |
6.8% |
18.2% |
23.2% |
37.5% |
|
De Bruce |
15.3% |
30.6% |
34.7% |
49.3% |
|
Fens & Greatham |
11.5% |
26.9% |
26.5% |
38.2% |
|
Foggy Furze |
12.5% |
26.8% |
27.5% |
47.1% |
|
Hart |
11.9% |
23.8% |
20.0% |
31.7% |
|
Headland & Harbour |
17.8% |
33.3% |
28.6% |
46.4% |
|
Manor House |
18.7% |
34.7% |
34.1% |
49.4% |
|
Rossmere |
15.9% |
31.7% |
32.2% |
47.5% |
|
Rural West |
7.0% |
18.6% |
19.1% |
34.0% |
|
Seaton |
10.3% |
20.5% |
22.0% |
31.7% |
|
Throston |
13.0% |
26.1% |
26.8% |
42.9% |
|
Victoria |
13.0% |
26.1% |
24.5% |
45.3% |
Table 1: Prevalence of obesity and overweight in Reception & Year 6, Ward Figures. The red, bold font indicates a value that is significantly worse than the England average.
Child BMI tracking
The percentage of reception children remaining overweight (including obesity) in year 6 (three years combined data) was 79.8% between 2021/22 and 2023/24 which was higher than the North East (80.1%) and lower than England (77.1%). Hartlepool is within the worst 25th percentile of local authorities for this metric.
The percentage of children moving from healthy weight in reception to overweight (including obesity) in year 6 for combined data between 2021/22 and 2023/24 was 25.0% which was higher than the region (23.3%) and England (21.5%).
Child measurement data quality (NCMP)
The quality of data provided to the National Child Measurement Programme by Hartlepool is high in terms of participation and assessment of eligible population however lower for data quality indicators such as valid ethnicity code and records with weight/height are rounded.
Adult obesity
Obesity prevalence in adults (18+ years) in 2023/24 was 37.9% the worst local authority in the country was 38.8%. This has been consistently higher than the national average and the trend pattern has increased at a greater rate than the national trend.
Overweight (including obesity) (18+ years) in 2023/24 was 77.2% which is the worst out of all local authorities in England. The regional average was 70.4% and national average 64.5%. This has been consistently higher in Hartlepool compared to the national average and has followed a similar trend pattern.
Physical activity
The percentage of children and young people (5 to 18 years) who were physically active for an average of at least 60 minutes per day across the week was 61.6% in 2023/24 which is similar to the best in the country. The North East average was 48.8% and England average 47.8%.
The percentage of adults who were physically active (doing at least 150 moderate intensity equivalent (MIE) minutes physical activity per week in bouts of 10 minutes) in 2023/24 was 58.7% which is lower than the regional average (64.5%) and national average (67.4%). This has declined since 2015/16 however has increased since 2020/21.
The percentage of physically inactive adults in 2023/24 was 30.5% which was higher than the regional and national average of 24.9% and 22.0% respectively. This has increased since 2015/16 and has been consistently higher than the national pattern. Following a spike in 2020/21 (36.7%) this has since fallen (30.5%) in 2023/24.
Hartlepool was in the worst 25th percentile of local authorities for both physical activity and physical inactivity in 2023/24.
The percentage of adults walking for travel at least 3 days per week in 2022/23 was 17.0% which is higher than the North East (15.5%) but lower than England (18.6%). Although consistently lower than the national trend, the trend in Hartlepool has followed a similar pattern to the national since 2019/20.
Diet and nutrition
The percentage of adults meeting the ‘5-a-day’ fruit and vegetable consumption recommendations in Hartlepool was 25.3% in 2023/24, lower than both the North East (28.0%) and England (31.3%). Hartlepool is in the worst 25th percentile out of all local authorities for this indicator. This percentage has decreased since 2020/21 by 6.7% to 2023/24 values, this follows the national trend.
The rate of fast food outlets in 2024 was 138.4 per 100,000 which again is higher than both the North East (130.4) and England (115.9).