Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters Covid-19 and obesity epidemic

Consequences of covid-19 on the childhood obesity epidemic

BMJ 2021; 373 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n953 (Published 15 April 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;373:n953
  1. Rosemarie R Patterson, foundation year 2 doctor,
  2. Sangeetha Sornalingam, senior GP teaching fellow,
  3. Max Cooper, senior lecturer in general practice
  1. Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9PH, UK
  1. rosemarie.patterson1{at}nhs.net

Senthilingam describes the growing obesity epidemic and rightly identifies that the covid-19 pandemic presents opportunities for change.1 But she does little to explore the pandemic’s effect on the longstanding childhood obesity epidemic.1 The consequences of childhood obesity on physical and mental health, self-esteem, and social wellbeing are endangering the health of children and will increase future demand on NHS resources.2

The most recent UK National Child Measurement Programme (data collected pre-pandemic) shows that 21% of children aged 10-11 …

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