NHS chiefs are calling for a society-wide effort to tackle obesity as new figures reveal that almost a third of adults were living with obesity in 2022.
The statistics come from the second part of NHS England’s Health Survey for England 2022, which includes insights on:
- Adult health
- Obesity
- Social care
- Kidney disease
Survey findings
According to the survey, England has around three in every 10 (29%) adults living with obesity, with more than double (64%) that figure classifying as overweight – the last survey, which was for 2019, had those figures at 28% and 64% respectively.
For children aged 2-15, the prevalence of obesity was approximately one in seven (15%) which is one percentage point lower than in 2019. The proportion of overweight children also fell from 2019, with the 2022 figure three percentage points lower at 27%.
The condition increases with age, according to survey findings, with statistics showing that only in seven (14%) are obese between 16-24 while that figure almost trebles (36%) for those aged 55-64.
Obesity prevalence was also highest in both adults and children living in the country’s most deprived areas.
Multi-billion-pound costs
The NHS spends around £6.5bn per year treating ill health linked to obesity, with NHSE specifically now offering the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme which delivers behavioural, diet and physical activity advice for people over a 12-week period.
The programme launched in 2021 with an initial £12m from the government. Analysis of the programme’s first year indicated that people who completed the course (14,000 in total) lost an average of 8.6lbs or 3.9kg. Nearly 400,000 referrals have been made to the programme so far.
National clinical director for obesity, Dr Clare Hambling, described the condition as “one of the biggest threats to health in the UK”.
Recent research from the National Institute for Health and Care Research suggested that pandemic-induced surges in childhood obesity are set to cost the NHS £800m and billions more to society as a whole.
Listen to the National Health Executive podcast to learn more about the stigma surrounding obesity.
“Obesity increases people’s risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, mental ill health and many other illnesses which can lead to shorter lives, or affect quality of life, with greater need for healthcare,” said Hambling.
She continued: “Today’s figures show the importance of supporting people who are overweight or living with obesity to reach a healthier weight.
“The NHS can play its part in that, alongside local councils, but we need to work with the rest of society to tackle the issues that contribute to obesity to help people remain as healthy as possible.”
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