In 2008 the North West Public Health Observatory developed profiles of the health of children and young people living in every local authority in the North West, accessible through an on-line profiling tool.
An electronic copy of the report can also be downloaded below.
Here we focus on some of the key local health issues for mothers and children in the Borough.
Fertility
In 2007, women living in Blackburn with Darwen had;
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a total of 2,338 live births
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a general fertility rate of 80 live births per 1,000 women aged 15-44, the highest in the North West and 9th highest nationally, compared with the national average of 62 live births per 1,000 women aged 15-44.
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a total period fertility rate[1] of 2.48, the highest in the North West and 6th highest nationally, compared with the national average of 1.91.
[1] represents the average number of children a woman would bear if the female population experienced the age-specific fertility rates of the year in question throughout their childbearing life.
Breast feeding
As part of the Governments strategy to reduce health inequalities, it has set a target to increase breastfeeding initiation rates by 2% per year, focusing particularly on women from disadvantaged groups.
In 2006/07 71.5% of Blackburn with Darwen new mothers had initiated breast feeding, as measured at 6-8 weeks after birth, significantly higher than the national rate of 69.2%.
Child obesity
In 2006/7 the local prevalence of child obesity in Blackburn with Darwen was 10% in Reception and 16% in Year 6 children respectively, compared with 10% and 17% in both the North West Region, and the country as a whole.
This information was collected as part of the National Child Measurement Programme - by clicking this link you can find out more about the local, regional, and national results.
Summary findings from the 2006/07 National Child Measurement Programme are as follows;
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In Reception, almost one in four of the children measured was either overweight or obese. In Year 6, this rate was nearly one in three;
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The prevalence of obesity is significantly higher in boys than in girls in both age groups;
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The prevalence of obesity is significantly higher in Year 6 than in Reception;
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The percentage of children who are overweight is only slightly higher in Year 6 than in Reception;
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The percentage of children who are overweight is similar for boys and girls in year 6: in Reception, this rate is slightly higher for boys than for girls;
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Obesity prevalence is higher in urban areas than in rural areas;
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There is a strong positive relationship between deprivation and obesity prevalence for children in Reception and Year 6.
Another very informative source of information on child obesity is the Health Survey for England, reported in the document below, which can be down loaded.
