Data Sources
Adult Obesity Data Sources
Health Survey for England (HSE)
The Health Survey for England is an annual survey undertaken since 1991. The HSE is currently commissioned by the Information Centre (and before 2005 was commissioned by the Department of Health) to monitor the health of the population. This is currently the most robust data source to monitor trends in adult obesity in England.Model-based estimates using HSE
Modelled (synthetic) estimates of lifestyle behaviours include estimates of prevalence of obesity among adults. These estimates are based on HSE, Census and other data. Estimates are available at local authority, primary care organisation (PCO) and middle super output area level (MSOA). It is important to note that these estimates are modelled and published as ‘experimental data’ and should be used and interpreted with caution.Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)
The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) is a voluntary annual reward and incentive programme for all GP surgeries in England. The QOF clinical register on obesity was started in 2006/7 and is based on patients aged 16 and over with a BMI greater or equal to 30. Current prevalence figures are unadjusted, subject to practice compliance and do not capture non-registered or non-attending patients.
Child Obesity Data Sources
Health Survey for England (HSE)
The Health Survey for England is an annual survey undertaken since 1991. Since 1995 the survey has also covered children aged 2-15 years and children under 2 since 2002. The survey is commissioned by the Information Centre to monitor the health of the population.National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)
The National Child Measurement Programme annually weighs and measures children in reception year and year six in maintained schools in England. The programme began in 2005. It was formerly known as the National Childhood Obesity Dataset and now provides the most robust source of childhood obesity data in England.
Nutrition Data Sources
National Diet and Nutrition Survey
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey was originally set up in 1992 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and has been run by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) since 2000. The annual programme surveys a national sample of adults aged 19 to 64 years and aims to provide a comprehensive, cross-sectional picture of dietary habits and nutritional status of the population of the UK.Expenditure and Food Survey
The expenditure and Food Survey (EFS) is a continuous survey run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) since 2001. Energy and nutrient intakes are calculated using standard profiles for each of some 500 types of food. 'Family Food' reports based on the survey analysis are published annually by DEFRA. These reports provide detailed national-level information on purchased quantities, expenditure and nutrient intakes from food and drink (including food eaten out). The set sample is 12,000 addresses a year. Self reported diaries of all purchases, including food eaten out, over a two week period, is collected from a sample of UK households. Includes adults (aged 16 and over), and children (aged 7 - 15 years).Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey
The Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey (LIDNS) was commissioned by the Food Standards Agency. It provides strong, nationally representative, evidence on the eating habits, nourishment and nutrition-related health of people on low income. A sample of 3728 adults and children (aged 4 and above) from 2477 households across the UK were surveyed between November 2003 and January 2005.Primary Care Trust Patient Surveys
The National Patient Survey programme has been operating annually since 2002 and is administered by the Healthcare Commission. The survey is mandatory for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). The most recent survey was conducted in Spring 2008 with each PCT sending questionnaires to 1200 patients. An average response rate of 40% was achieved. While the main focus of the survey is on patients’ experiences of primary care services, the 2008 survey also asked a number of health and lifestyle-related questions.TellUs Survey
TellUs is a series of annual confidential online surveys to gather quantitative information on the views and experiences of children and young people. The surveys provide evidence for the National Indicators for Local Authorities and Local Authority Partnerships and aim to help local authorities judge the impact of their services on perceived quality of life for children and young people. The survey contains questions about fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity levels.Health Survey for England (HSE)
The Health Survey for England is an annual survey undertaken since 1991, which also contains nutrition data along side other indicators. The HSE is currently commissioned by the Information Centre (and before 2005 was commissioned by the Department of Health) to monitor the health of the population. This is currently the most robust data source to monitor trends in adult obesity in England and includes nutrition data.
Physical Activity Data Sources
NOO has published a briefing paper which identifies and describes the main sources of national-level surveillance data on physical activity in adults and children in England.
Active People
The Active People Survey is a large telephone survey of sport and active recreation, commissioned by Sport England. The survey measures participation in sport and active recreation, and provides details of how participation varies from place to place and between different groups in the population. The survey also measures other sport-related issues such as volunteering; club membership; tuition or coaching; and overall satisfaction with levels of sporting provision in the local community. The survey began in October 2005, and is planned to run continuously until 2010. In the first year the sample was 363,724 adults in England (aged 16 plus), with a minimum of 1,000 interviews completed in every one of the 354 Local Authority in England. The survey provides the measurement for National Indicator 8 (NI8) - adult participation in sport and active recreation.General Household Survey
The General Household Survey (GHS) is a multi-purpose continuous survey carried out by the Social Survey Division of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which collects information on a range of topics from people living in private households in Great Britain. The survey started in 1971 and has been carried out continuously since then, except for breaks in 1997/98 (when the survey was reviewed) and 1999/2000 when the survey was re-developed.Labour Force Survey
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a quarterly sample survey of households living at private addresses in Great Britain. Its purpose is to provide information on the UK labour market that can then be used to develop, manage, evaluate and report on labour market policies. The questionnaire design, sample selection, and interviewing are carried out by the Social and Vital Statistics Division of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on behalf of the Statistical Outputs Group of the ONS.Physical Education School Sports and Club Link survey
The 2007/08 survey aimed to collect information from all partnership schools in the maintained sector in England (21,727 schools). In addition, it collected information from a small number of independent schools, but this information is not included in this report.Taking Part
The Taking Part Survey gives detail on adult (16 plus) participation and attendance covering all DCMS sectors that will provide the ability to carry out statistically robust analysis at cross-sectoral, socio-demographic sub-group and regional levels.Time Use Survey
The UK 2000 Time Use Survey was conducted on behalf of a funding consortium consisting of: the Economic and Social Research Council; the Department of Culture, Media and Sport; the Department for Education and Skills; the Department of Health; the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions; and the Office for National Statistics.National Travel Survey
The National Travel Survey (NTS) is a continuous survey on personal travel. It provides the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) with data to answer a variety of policy and transport research questions. The survey has been running on an ad hoc basis since 1965 and continuously since 1988.Health Survey for England (HSE)
The Health Survey for England is an annual survey undertaken since 1991, which also contains physical activity data along side other indicators. The HSE is currently commissioned by the Information Centre (and before 2005 was commissioned by the Department of Health) to monitor the health of the population. This is currently the most robust data source to monitor trends in adult obesity in England and includes nutrition data.
