Obesity rates among primary school children in England fell in 2021-22 having hit a record high during the previous year, according to a government report.

The latest figures to emerge from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) for England, published by NHS Digital, reveals the prevalence of obesity in four and five-year-olds in reception classes went from 14.4 per cent in 2020/21 to 10.4 per cent a year later while in year six children aged 10 and 11, it fell from 25.5 per cent to 23.5 per cent.

Boys were also found to have a higher obesity prevalence than girls for both age groups, with 10.6 per cent of boys in reception classes obese compared to 10.2 per cent of girls. In year six, 26.5 per cent of boys compared with 20.3 per cent of girls were obese.

However, NHS Digital said the report was “based on an incomplete dataset” and said final data for the full 2021/22 school year is expected to be published in November.