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Obesity in the United Kingdom is a significant contemporary health concern, with authorities stating that it is one of the leading preventable causes of death. In February 2016, former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt described rising rates of childhood obesity as a "national emergency".[1] The National Childhood Measurement Programme, which measures obesity prevalence among school-age pupils in reception class and year 6, found obesity levels rocketed in both years groups by more than 4 percentage points between 2019–20 and 2020–21, the highest rise since the programme began. Among reception-aged children, those aged four and five, the rates of obesity rose from 9.9% in 2019–20 to 14.4% in 2020–21. By the time they are aged 10 or 11, more than a quarter are obese. In just 12 months, the rate is up from 21% in 2019–20 to 25.5% in 2020–21.[2]
Data from the Health Survey for England (HSE) conducted in 2018 indicated that 31% of adults in the England were recognised as clinically obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30.[3] 63% of adults were classified as overweight or obese (a body mass index of 25 or above), a 10 percent increase 1993.[3] More than two-thirds of men and 6 in 10 women were overweight or obese.[3] 28% of children aged between 2 and 15 years (inclusive) were overweight of them about 15% of children were obese.[3]
Rising levels of obesity are a major challenge to public health.[4] There are expected to be 11 million more obese adults in the UK by 2030, accruing up to 668,000 additional cases of diabetes mellitus, 461,000 cases of heart disease and stroke, 130,000 cases of cancer, with associated medical costs set to increase by £1.9–2.0B per year by 2030.[5] Adult obesity rates have almost quadrupled in the last 25 years.[6][7]
Combining three years of data (2012, 2013, and 2014) Public Health England identified Barnsley, South Yorkshire as the local authority with the highest incidence of adult obesity (BMI greater than 30) with 35.1%. Data from the same study revealed that Doncaster, South Yorkshire was the local authority with the highest overall excess weight with 74.8% of adults (16 years and over) with a BMI greater than 25.[8] In previous Public Health England studies based on 2012 data, Tamworth in Staffordshire had been identified as the fattest town in England with an obesity rate of 30.7%.[9]
- ^ Sparrow, Andrew (7 February 2016). "Childhood obesity is a national emergency, says Jeremy Hunt". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ^ "Childhood obesity in England soars during pandemic". The Guardian. 2021-11-16. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
- ^ a b c d "Health Survey for England, 2018: Overweight and obesity in adults and children data tables". NHS Digital. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ Wang, Y Claire; McPherson, Klim; Marsh, Tim; Gortmaker, Steven L.; Brown, Martin (2011). "Health and economic burden of the projected obesity trends in the USA and the UK". The Lancet. 378 (9793): 815–825. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60814-3. PMID 21872750. S2CID 44240421.
- ^ Wang, Y Claire; McPherson, Klim; Marsh, Tim; Gortmaker, Steven L.; Brown, Martin (2011). "Health and economic burden of the projected obesity trends in the USA and the UK". The Lancet. 378 (9793): 815–825. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60814-3. PMID 21872750. S2CID 44240421.
- ^ Foynes, Denise. "The 10 fattest countries in the world". Archived from the original on 2014-04-14. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
- ^ "10 Fattest countries in the developed world". Huffington Post. 22 February 2012.
- ^ "Local Authority Adult Excess Weight Prevalence Data". Obesity Data and Tools. Public Health England. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ Bosely, Sarah (18 February 2013). "Obesity fightback begins in Tamworth, fat capital of Britain". The Guardian. London.