Underweight and obese children cost NHS same, Oxford study finds

“This work suggests we may have been looking at this the wrong way,” the study’s lead author, Dr Olu Onyimadu, said.

“It’s not just obesity that drives costs. Underweight children may need comparable support and generate similar costs per capita to the NHS.

“We need to think about the full spectrum of unhealthy weight when planning services.”

The study is the first of its kind and used NHS electronic health records from more than 260,000 children aged between two and 15 across England.

It found healthcare costs rose sharply after a child’s weight was formally recorded, with the largest increase in those who were found to be underweight.

Four and five-year-olds with severe obesity had the highest excess costs, whilst girls with severe obesity cost more than boys, the study found.

Professor Stavros Petrou, who co-authored the study, said the findings “give commissioners and practices the evidence they need to make the case for weight-management services”.

“Early intervention across the weight spectrum could generate substantial savings while improving children’s health,” he added.