Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children aged 6–14 in Gdańsk, Poland, 2016–2026

Background

Childhood overweight and obesity remain a major public health challenge in Europe. According to the WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), 25% of children aged 7–9 years live with overweight (including obesity) and 11% live with obesity . Gdańsk is the first city in Poland to implement a comprehensive early detection and treatment programme (“6-10-14 for Health”) since 2011.

Methods

A repeated cross-sectional analysis was conducted using routinely collected anthropometric data of children aged 6–14 years participating in municipal programmes in Gdańsk between 2016 and 2026. Anthropometric measurements were collected by trained personnel using standardized protocols. The prevalence of children living with overweight and children living with obesity was calculated annually using BMI-based criteria. Combined prevalence (overweight and obesity) was analysed over time, with exploration of sex differences.

Results

In 2016, 9.1% of children lived with overweight and 3.6% with obesity (12.7% combined). The combined prevalence decreased to 8.4% in 2023 (6.1% and 2.3%), then increased to 10.2% in 2026 (7.7% and 2.5%). Overall, a decrease until 2023 was followed by a moderate rebound. The prevalence of children living with obesity remained relatively low and stable. Differences between boys and girls were modest and inconsistent. Compared with WHO COSI estimates, children in Gdańsk are less likely to live with excess body weight.

Conclusions

Despite high levels of childhood overweight and obesity in Europe, Gdańsk shows lower prevalence and a favourable trend. Long-term implementation of systematic screening and early intervention may contribute to these outcomes. Urban strategies focused on early identification and supportive care for children living with obesity can help reduce health inequalities.

Key messages

• Children in Gdańsk are less likely to live with overweight or obesity than the European average, highlighting the value of local surveillance and early detection in urban public health.

• Long-term implementation of early screening and care (“6-10-14 for Health”) may reduce prevalence of children living with obesity and support equitable health outcomes in urban settings.