School absenteeism emerges as hidden driver of Britain's child obesity surge

Severe childhood obesity in England has surged since the Covid-19 lockdowns, and clinicians at the NHS’s Complications from Excess Weight (CEW) clinics are highlighting school absenteeism as a possible cause. The clinics, which treat a small fraction of the estimated eligible children, report that nearly all their patients are not regularly attending school, limiting access to regulated meals and daily activity. Studies show that children are more active and eat healthier on school days, while home environments lack such controls.

Researchers such as Prof Ken Ong and Prof Simon Kenny argue that the pandemic-driven rise in persistent absence—up from about 10% to 18%—may be fueling the obesity trend. They suggest that bringing health services into schools and restoring regular attendance could help reverse the pattern, alongside careful use of weight-loss medication for those who qualify. The analysis underscores the need to treat school absence as a public-health issue rather than solely an educational problem.