Healthy Weight Health Needs Assessment (2025)

Suffolk faces a persistent public health challenge with the prevalence of overweight and obesity across all age groups worsening as residents progress from childhood to adulthood

• In Suffolk (2023/24), 1 in 5 children in reception (21.5%) are living with obesity or overweight, this rises to 1 in 3 in Year 6 children (34.1%), growing to 2 in 3 adults, 18+ yrs, (67.2%)

Clear differences exist across gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status

• In Suffolk, across all ages, a higher percentage of females tend to be living with a healthy weight, whereas a higher percentage of males tend to be living with overweight and obese
• In Suffolk, a higher percentage of people who identify as Black or Black British tend to be living with overweight or obese across all age groups
• People in the 50% most deprived areas in England are less likely to be a healthy weight than those in the 50% least deprived, across all age groups. This indicates that unhealthy weight is not just an issue at the extremes of deprivation. However, the impact remains particularly stark in the most deprived areas.

• Environmental and societal factors significantly impact weight outcomes, including financial constraints, time pressures, access to green space, transportation challenges, and food accessibility
• A whole systems approach may support the coordination of diverse stakeholders in addressing the complex determinants of weight

• Research supports shifting from weight-focused initiatives toward promoting overall wellbeing through body acceptance, intuitive eating, joyful movement, and size diversity to improve health outcomes and reduce stigma
• People seeking to make positive health changes, through engagement with services, most value the combination of emotional support (through non-judgmental staff and face-to-face or group settings) alongside practical knowledge (through informative, educational content)
• Psychological support is essential for sustainable weight management, as it supports improved emotional regulation, successful habit formation and positive identity shifts

• New obesity management medications represent both opportunity and uncertainty in our collective weight management strategies but clearly highlight the necessity of behavioural support.

Achieving lasting change means tackling this public health challenge at several levels. Prevention helps to reduce new cases of overweight or obesity, addressing existing cases treats the current public health issue, and ongoing support enables individuals to maintain their progress over time. Focusing on just one aspect is not sufficient- meaningful, sustainable change can only occur when all three areas are addressed together. If any one level is neglected, the likelihood of long-term success is reduced