British children are getting taller, but a new study says the reason is troubling. Researchers from the University of Oxford and University College London found that increases in average height among kids in England, Scotland, and Wales are tied to rising childhood obesity, especially among poorer children.
The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, shows that the average height of 11-year-old boys in England rose from 145 cm in 2009/10 to 146.4 cm in 2023/24. For girls of the same age, it went from 145.8 cm to 147.5 cm over the same period.
However, the researchers caution that these height gains are not a sign of better health. Instead, they correlate with rising obesity rates. In England's most deprived areas, the share of overweight or obese children jumped from 37.7% in 2009/10 to 43.3% in 2023/24. Meanwhile, height differences between rich and poor areas are narrowing-and among girls, they have reversed.
Lead author Andrew Moscrop explained that children in poorer areas face more unhealthy food outlets and fewer healthy food sources.
Across Europe, childhood obesity is a growing crisis. WHO data shows the prevalence among 5- to 19-year-olds in the European region doubled from 3.8% in 1990 to 8% in 2022. The UK had the highest rate among Europe's five largest economies at 11.3%, followed by Spain (10.5%), Italy (9.6%), Germany (8.5%), and France (4.1%). Hungary topped the European list at 14.8%.