Obese children aged five to 12 referred to clinics weighing 11st, new NHS figures reveal

Thousands of severely obese children have been referred to weight management clinics since they opened five years ago, according to new figures.

The latest data shows one-in-four children aged 10 to 11 in England are obese, while 2.5 million are affected by excess weight or obesity and 1.2 million are described as "significantly obese".

Of the 6,497 referred to Complications from Excess Weight (CEW) clinics since 2021, those aged between five and 12 years old had an average weight of 11st (70kg).

The average weight of an adult woman in England in 2024 was 11st 7lbs (73kg), according to the NHS.

Newly released NHS England data says that 1,088 children of those referred to the clinics were aged between five and eight, while 1,791 were aged nine to 12.

Read more:
Deep-fried foods off school menus

Other figures showed that 423 children aged under four were referred to the programme, and that those under five weighed on average 5st 3lbs (33kg) at the time of referral, indicating severe obesity - which was described as "extremely high" for their age.

Those aged 12 to 16 had an average weight of 12st 11lbs (113kg) and a BMI of 40 at the time of referral, while those aged 16 to 18 had an average weight of 19st 5lb (123kg), with a BMI score of 42.

Around 17% of the children referred had developed high blood pressure, according to NHS England, while 6% had type 2 diabetes, and many had liver disease and obstructive sleep apnoea.

Research has shown that children who are severely obese by the age of four have a life expectancy of just 39.

Last year, data from the National Child Measurement Programme found one in 10 children in the first year of primary school in England is obese - the highest it has been on record outside the COVID-19 pandemic.

It added 10.5% of children in reception and more than a fifth in year 6 - the last year of primary school - were obese in 2024/25, with boys more likely to be overweight than girls.

It comes as a study, presented to the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, found CEW clinics were effective at supporting children to lose weight over time.

"Severe childhood obesity remains a major public health challenge in England, affecting approximately 15% of children aged between two and 15," said Dr Cath Homer, associate professor in obesity and public health at Sheffield Hallam University and co-lead of the study.

She added that the prevalence of obesity "is fuelling rising demand for specialist support and treatment that goes beyond traditional community-based weight management services," and said "our research suggests that CEW services are an effective way to support patients for better health and weight management".

Experts from Sheffield Hallam University, Leeds Beckett University, University of Leeds, University of Bristol and University of Sheffield also found that weight loss drugs can be effective for significant weight loss among teenagers when prescribed under the services.

See more from Sky News:
UK seizes thousands from US gangster
South Africa president won't quit
Strip searches replaced

CEW clinics offer support to patients aged between two and 18 years old, including help with diet and lifestyle changes, access to mental health services, access to specialist medication and addressing health complications related to obesity.

Professor Simon Kenny, NHS England's national clinical director for children and young people, said: "These specialist clinics support children to lose weight safely and build healthier long-term habits through tailored care from expert NHS teams.

"In some cases, these clinics are helping children who could otherwise face a life cut tragically short - dying decades too soon - to look ahead to a full and healthy life."

(c) Sky News 2026: Obese children aged five to 12 referred to clinics weighing 11st, new NHS figures reveal