Annual Prevalence of Obesity for Children Aged Below 18 over Past Five Years, Their Profile and Assessed Effectiveness of Preventive Measures
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the annual prevalence of childhood obesity and the effectiveness of preventive measures as raised by Mr Leon Perera. Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung reported that the proportion of overweight students rose from 13% in 2017 to 16% in 2021, attributing recent increases to pandemic-related reductions in physical activity. The government addresses this through healthier school meals, community programmes, and lifestyle coaching offered to severely overweight students in secondary and tertiary institutions. These interventions saw 64% of 2021 participants successfully reduce their body mass index or reach acceptable weights within six months. Additional studies are required to assess the specific impact of the pandemic on obesity rates when categorized by housing type and race.
Transcript
48 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Health (a) over the past five years, what is the annual prevalence of obesity for children aged below 18 years, with a breakdown by their (i) housing type and (ii) race; (b) how has the childhood obesity rate been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; and (c) what is the assessed effectiveness of measures to prevent and address childhood obesity.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: From 2017 to 2021, the proportion of students who were overweight (BMI-for-age at or above the 90th percentile1) in schools (Primary, Secondary and pre-University levels) had increased from 13% to 16%. The increase was mainly observed in the last two years. Due to COVID-19, opportunities for physical activities in schools had been impacted over the past two years. This might have led to a more sedentary lifestyle and contributed to the increase in obesity among students. More studies are needed to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on the prevalence of obesity among students by housing type and race.
We have undertaken various measures to prevent and address childhood obesity. We work with MOE, Early Childhood Development Agency and preschools to provide school health promotion for students, parents and staff. In schools and Institutes of Higher Learning, we provide healthier meals. HPB also supplements school-based efforts with community-based healthy eating and physical activity programmes. Secondary schools and the Institute of Technical Education also offer lifestyle coaching to severely overweight students. In 2021, 64% of the participants achieved BMI reduction of more than 0.5 points or reached their acceptable weight by the end of the six-month programme.