Parliamentary Replies
November 24, 2010
School Obesity Rate
In 2009, the obesity rate (defined as the proportion of students whose weight is more than 20% above the average for their height) was 10% for primary schools, 10% for secondary schools, and ranged from 6% in JCs/CI to 23% at the ITE. We do not have data on obesity for the polytechnics.
Obesity rates among school students have remained relatively stable in the past decade. The obesity rate among ITE students rose from 18% in 2005 to 23% in 2009.
Based on Weight-for-Height norms, the national obesity rate of our students (Pri/Sec/JC/CI) for the past decade (2000-2009) is stable at 9.7%. Data shown by the bar graph in the Annex provides the Overall Obesity Rate of Schools (Pri/Sec/JC/CI) from 2000-2009