Diet and healthy weight: monitoring report 2019

Latest results against the obesity indicator framework originally developed to monitor progress against our Prevention of Obesity Route Map (February 2010), now superseded by the Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan and Active Scotland Delivery Plan (summer 2018).


Key points

  • In 2018, 65% of adults aged 16 and over were overweight, including 28% who were obese. Levels of overweight and obesity for adults aged 16-64 increased between 1995 and 2008, but have remained broadly stable since then.
  • Since 1998, the proportion of children aged 2-15 at risk of overweight (including obesity) has fluctuated between 26% and 33% (29% in 2018). In 2018, 13% of children aged 2 to 15 were at risk of overweight, with a further 16% at risk of obesity.
  • At the end of 2018, there were 304,375 people diagnosed with diabetes in Scotland recorded on local diabetes registers. This represented 5.6% of the population of all ages. Of all cases, 87.9% (267,615) were Type 2 diabetes. Prevalence of Type 2 diabetes continues to increase steadily.
  • In 2018, 22% of adults aged 16 and over met the five-a-day recommendation for consumption of fruit and vegetables. This figure has remained fairly constant since 2003.
  • In 2018, 15% of children aged 2-15 met the five-a-day recommendation for consumption of fruit and vegetables. This figure shows little variation over time, lying between 12% and 15% each year since 2008.
  • In 2017/18, the percentage of total food energy from all fats was 38.5%, above the Scottish Dietary Goal of no more than 35%. The percentage of total food energy contributed by free sugars (13.8%) also remained higher than the Scottish Dietary Goal of less than 5% of energy.
  • Between 2014 and 2018, the volume of sales of regular take-home soft drinks reduced by 11%, whilst the volume of sales of diet take-home soft drinks increased by 20%.
  • Between 2014 and 2018 sales take-home biscuits and confectionery have increased by 5% and sales of cakes and pastries have increased by 10%.
  • In 2019, 776 catering establishments held the Healthy Living award (HLA) or HLA Plus award.

Contact

Email: scottishhealthsurvey@gov.scot

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