The prevalence of obesity among adults in England has been generally been trending upwards since 2000. In that year, 21 percent of men and women in England were classified as obese. However, by 2022 this share was 30 percent among women and 28 percent among men. Obesity causing strain on health service As the prevalence of obesity is increasing in England, the number of hospital admissions as a result of obesity has also increased. In the period 2019/20, around eight thousand women and nearly 2.7 thousand men were admitted to hospital. A huge rise from the admission levels fifteen years previously. The highest number of admissions due to obesity were found in the age group 45 to 54 years, with over 3.1 thousand admissions in that age group. Situation in Scotland In Scotland in 2022, the mean Body Mass Index of women was 28.1 and for men it was 27.9. A BMI of over 25 is classed as overweight. While the prevalence of obesity or morbid obesity in Scotland in 2020 was 30 percent among women and 26 percent among men.

This report presents information on obesity, physical activity and diet drawn together from a variety of sources for England. More information can be found in the source publications which contain a wider range of data and analysis. Each section provides an overview of key findings, as well as providing links to relevant documents and sources. Some of the data have been published previously by NHS Digital. A data visualisation tool (link provided within the key facts) allows users to select obesity related hospital admissions data for any Local Authority (as contained in the data tables), along with time series data from 2013/14. Regional and national comparisons are also provided. The report includes information on: Obesity related hospital admissions, including obesity related bariatric surgery. Obesity prevalence. Physical activity levels. Walking and cycling rates. Prescriptions items for the treatment of obesity. Perception of weight and weight management. Food and drink purchases and expenditure. Fruit and vegetable consumption. Key facts cover the latest year of data available: Hospital admissions: 2018/19 Adult obesity: 2018 Childhood obesity: 2018/19 Adult physical activity: 12 months to November 2019 Children and young people's physical activity: 2018/19 academic year

This statistic displays the share of overweight individuals in England in 2022, by gender and region. In this year, 74 percent of men and 63 percent of women in the North East of England were classed as overweight.

The spreadsheet contains regional level obesity trend data from the the HSE, BMI data from Understanding Society, and adjusted prevalence of underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity by local authority from the Active People Survey.

Understanding Society data shows the percentage of the population aged 10 and over by their Body Mass Index Classification, covering underweight, normal weight, overweight, and three classes of obesity.

Questions on self-reported height and weight were added to the Sport England Active People Survey (APS) in January 2012 to provide data for monitoring excess weight (overweight including obesity, BMI ≥25kg/m2) in adults (age 16 and over) at local authority level for the Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF).

Health Survey for England (HSE) results at a national level are available on the NHS Information Centre website.

Other NHS indicators on obesity are available for Strategic Health Authorities (SHA).

Relevant links: http://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/series/?sn=2000053

http://www.noo.org.uk/visualisation/adult_obesity

As of 2022, in nearly every country in Europe, over half of adults were classed as overweight or obese. The highest rate was recorded in Romania with 67 percent of adults self-reporting as overweight or obese. In both Croatia and the United Kingdom, around 64 percent of adults had a BMI of over 25. Europe one of the worst affected regions Europe had the second-highest number of obese adults across the WHO regions, only behind the region of the Americas. Over 191 million adults aged 20 years were classed as obese in Europe in 2020. The number of obese adults in Europe was forecast to grow to 263 million by 2035. Problems also with childhood obesity In 2020, 89 million children in Europe were overweight, the highest across all continents. It was forecast with current trends that, by 2035, 125 million children would be overweight. A further 70 million children across the continent were classed as obese. Children that are overweight or obese are at a higher risk of developing numerous health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure.

This statistics display the distribution of weight classification in England in 2022, based on self--reported body mass index (BMI). In this year, 39 percent of men and 31 percent of women were classed as being overweight. Those with a BMI of between 25 and 29.9 are classed as overweight.

In 2022, men aged 55 to 64 years had an average body mass index (BMI) of 29 kg/m2 and women in the same age group had a BMI of 28.8 kg/m2, the highest mean BMI across all the age groups. Apart from individuals aged 16 to 24 years, every demographic in England had an average BMI which is classified as overweight.An increasing problem It is shown that the mean BMI of individuals for both men and women has been generally increasing year-on-year in England. The numbers show in England, as in the rest of the United Kingdom (UK), that the prevalence of obesity is an increasing health problem. The prevalence of obesity in women in England has increased by around nine percent since 2000, while for men the share of obesity has increased by six percent. Strain on the health service Being overweight increases the chances of developing serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancers. In the period 2019/20, England experienced over 10.7 thousand hospital admissions with a primary diagnosis of obesity, whereas in 2002/03 this figure was only 1,275 admissions. Furthermore, the number of bariatric surgeries taking place in England, particularly among women, has significantly increased over the last fifteen years. In 2019/20, over 5.4 thousand bariatric surgery procedures were performed on women and approximately 1.3 thousand were carried out on men.

Observed and age-standardised proportion of adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2. To help reduce the prevalence of obesity. Legacy unique identifier: P00848

Proportion of children aged 4 to 5 years classified as living with obesity. For population monitoring purposes, a child’s body mass index (BMI) is classed as overweight or obese where it is on or above the 85th centile or 95th centile, respectively, based on the British 1990 (UK90) growth reference data. The population monitoring cut offs for overweight and obesity are lower than the clinical cut offs (91st and 98th centiles for overweight and obesity) used to assess individual children; this is to capture children in the population in the clinical overweight or obesity BMI categories and those who are at high risk of moving into the clinical overweight or clinical obesity categories. This helps ensure that adequate services are planned and delivered for the whole population.

Rationale There is concern about the rise of childhood obesity and the implications of obesity persisting into adulthood. The risk of obesity in adulthood and risk of future obesity-related ill health are greater as children get older. Studies tracking child obesity into adulthood have found that the probability of children who are overweight or living with obesity becoming overweight or obese adults increases with age[1,2,3]. The health consequences of childhood obesity include: increased blood lipids, glucose intolerance, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, increases in liver enzymes associated with fatty liver, exacerbation of conditions such as asthma and psychological problems such as social isolation, low self-esteem, teasing and bullying.

It is important to look at the prevalence of weight status across all weight/BMI categories to understand the whole picture and the movement of the population between categories over time.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence have produced guidelines to tackle obesity in adults and children - http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG43.

1 Guo SS, Chumlea WC. Tracking of body mass index in children in relation to overweight in adulthood. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999;70(suppl): 145S-8S.

2 Serdula MK, Ivery D, Coates RJ, Freedman DS, Williamson DF, Byers T. Do obese children become obese adults? A review of the literature. Preventative Medicine 1993;22:167-77.

3 Starc G, Strel J. Tracking excess weight and obesity from childhood to young adulthood: a 12-year prospective cohort study in Slovenia. Public Health Nutrition 2011;14:49-55.

Definition of numerator Number of children in reception (aged 4 to 5 years) with a valid height and weight measured by the NCMP with a BMI classified as living with obesity or severe obesity (BMI on or above 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference).

Definition of denominator Number of children in reception (aged 4 to 5 years) with a valid height and weight measured by the NCMP.

Caveats Data for local authorities may not match that published by NHS England which are based on the local authority of the school attended by the child or based on the local authority that submitted the data. There is a strong correlation between deprivation and child obesity prevalence and users of these data may wish to examine the pattern in their local area. Users may wish to produce thematic maps and charts showing local child obesity prevalence. When presenting data in charts or maps it is important, where possible, to consider the confidence intervals (CIs) around the figures. This analysis supersedes previously published data for small area geographies and historically published data should not be compared to the latest publication. Estimated data published in this fingertips tool is not comparable with previously published data due to changes in methods over the different years of production. These methods changes include; moving from estimated numbers at ward level to actual numbers; revision of geographical boundaries (including ward boundary changes and conversion from 2001 MSOA boundaries to 2011 boundaries); disclosure control methodology changes. The most recently published data applies the same methods across all years of data. There is the potential for error in the collection, collation and interpretation of the data (bias may be introduced due to poor response rates and selective opt out of children with a high BMI for age/sex which it is not possible to control for). There is not a good measure of response bias and the degree of selective opt out, but participation rates (the proportion of eligible school children who were measured) may provide a reasonable proxy; the higher the participation rate, the less chance there is for selective opt out, though this is not a perfect method of assessment. Participation rates for each local authority are available in the https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-programme/data#page/4/gid/8000022/ of this profile.

In 2022, over 33 percent of both men and women in the United States reported themselves as obese (BMI over 30), making it the country with the highest percentage of obese adults on this list. Other selected countries on the list with a high prevalence of obesity among adults included the United Kingdom and Australia. Obesity groups in the United States In 2022, Black adults had the highest overweight and obesity rates of any race or ethnicity in the United States. Asians and Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders had the lowest rates by far, with roughly 14 percent. In 2021, about 30 percent of people aged 65 and older were obese in the United States. This estimate has been steadily increasing since 2013 when roughly 27 percent of elderly Americans were obese. Leading health problems worldwide Obesity was considered one of 2023’s biggest health problems: 25 percent of adults worldwide stated that obesity was the biggest health issue for people within their country. Around 44 percent of adults stated that mental health was the most significant problem facing their country that year.

Proportion of children aged 10 to 11 years classified as living with obesity. For population monitoring purposes, a child’s body mass index (BMI) is classed as overweight or obese where it is on or above the 85th centile or 95th centile, respectively, based on the British 1990 (UK90) growth reference data. The population monitoring cut offs for overweight and obesity are lower than the clinical cut offs (91st and 98th centiles for overweight and obesity) used to assess individual children; this is to capture children in the population in the clinical overweight or obesity BMI categories and those who are at high risk of moving into the clinical overweight or clinical obesity categories. This helps ensure that adequate services are planned and delivered for the whole population.

Rationale There is concern about the rise of childhood obesity and the implications of obesity persisting into adulthood. The risk of obesity in adulthood and risk of future obesity-related ill health are greater as children get older. Studies tracking child obesity into adulthood have found that the probability of children who are overweight or living with obesity becoming overweight or obese adults increases with age[1,2,3]. The health consequences of childhood obesity include: increased blood lipids, glucose intolerance, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, increases in liver enzymes associated with fatty liver, exacerbation of conditions such as asthma and psychological problems such as social isolation, low self-esteem, teasing and bullying.

It is important to look at the prevalence of weight status across all weight/BMI categories to understand the whole picture and the movement of the population between categories over time.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence have produced guidelines to tackle obesity in adults and children - http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG43.

1 Guo SS, Chumlea WC. Tracking of body mass index in children in relation to overweight in adulthood. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999;70(suppl): 145S-8S.

2 Serdula MK, Ivery D, Coates RJ, Freedman DS, Williamson DF, Byers T. Do obese children become obese adults? A review of the literature. Preventative Medicine 1993;22:167-77.

3 Starc G, Strel J. Tracking excess weight and obesity from childhood to young adulthood: a 12-year prospective cohort study in Slovenia. Public Health Nutrition 2011;14:49-55.

Definition of numerator Number of children in year 6 (aged 10 to 11 years) with a valid height and weight measured by the NCMP with a BMI classified as living with obesity or severe obesity (BMI on or above 95th centile of the UK90 growth reference).

Definition of denominator Number of children in year 6 (aged 10 to 11 years) with a valid height and weight measured by the NCMP.

Caveats Data for local authorities may not match that published by NHS England which are based on the local authority of the school attended by the child or based on the local authority that submitted the data. There is a strong correlation between deprivation and child obesity prevalence and users of these data may wish to examine the pattern in their local area. Users may wish to produce thematic maps and charts showing local child obesity prevalence. When presenting data in charts or maps it is important, where possible, to consider the confidence intervals (CIs) around the figures. This analysis supersedes previously published data for small area geographies and historically published data should not be compared to the latest publication. Estimated data published in this fingertips tool is not comparable with previously published data due to changes in methods over the different years of production. These methods changes include; moving from estimated numbers at ward level to actual numbers; revision of geographical boundaries (including ward boundary changes and conversion from 2001 MSOA boundaries to 2011 boundaries); disclosure control methodology changes. The most recently published data applies the same methods across all years of data. There is the potential for error in the collection, collation and interpretation of the data (bias may be introduced due to poor response rates and selective opt out of children with a high BMI for age/sex which it is not possible to control for). There is not a good measure of response bias and the degree of selective opt out, but participation rates (the proportion of eligible school children who were measured) may provide a reasonable proxy; the higher the participation rate, the less chance there is for selective opt out, though this is not a perfect method of assessment. Participation rates for each local authority are available in the https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-programme/data#page/4/gid/8000022/ of this profile.

The Health Survey for England series was designed to monitor trends in the nation's health; estimating the proportion of people in England who have specified health conditions, and the prevalence of risk factors and behaviours associated with these conditions. The surveys provide regular information that cannot be obtained from other sources. The surveys have been carried out since 1994 by the Joint Health Surveys Unit of NatCen Social Research and the Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at UCL. Each survey in the series includes core questions, e.g. about alcohol and smoking, and measurements (such as blood pressure, height and weight, and analysis of blood and saliva samples), and modules of questions on topics that vary from year to year. The trend tables show data for available years between 1993 and 2016 for adults (defined as age 16 and over) and for children. The survey samples cover the population living in private households in England. In 2016 the sample contained 8,011 adults and 2,056 children and 5,049 adults and 1,117 children had a nurse visit. We would very much like your feedback about whether some proposed changes to the publications would be helpful and if the publications meet your needs. This will help us shape the design of future publications to ensure they remain informative and useful. Please answer our reader feedback survey on Citizen Space which is open until 18 June 2018.

As of 2024, an estimated 78 percent of individuals in Scotland who were living with a long-term musculoskeletal condition were classed as obese, while the comparative figures in England and Wales were 69 and 72 percent respectively. Obesity increases a person's chance of developing a musculoskeletal condition, as it increases the weight that joints such as knees and hips have to bear.

In May 2021, 67 percent of the British people surveyed believed that better GP support for obese people with referrals to weight management services is an effective policy to tackle obesity in the United Kingdom, while 23 percent believe that would be ineffective. Furthermore, 60 percent of respondents believed rewards for people who eat better, and exercise would be effective in tackling obesity in the UK,

Obesity levels high and have increased over time Obesity among adults in England has amplified since the turn of the century. Among both genders in 2000, 21 percent were classed as obese. Although by 2019, this share had increased to almost 30 percent of the population. Additionally, 27 percent of boys and 20 percent of girls aged between 11 and 15 years of age were reported as obese in 2019.

Effects on the health service The number of hospital admissions as a result of obesity has increased alongside the rise in the prevalence of obesity in England. In 2019/20, over eight thousand women and nearly 2.7 thousand men were admitted to hospital for obesity. Compared to fewer than nine hundred and five hundred admissions among women and men respectively in 2002/03. The highest number of admissions due to obesity were found in the age group 45 to 54 years, with over 3.1 thousand admissions in that age group.

As of 2021, approximately 69 percent of men and 59 percent of women in the United Kingdom considered themselves overweight or obese. Across the European countries featured, overweight and obesity was more prevalent among males.

• to provide annual data about the nation’s health;
• to estimate the proportion of people in England with specified health conditions;
• to estimate the prevalence of certain risk factors associated with these conditions;
• to examine differences between population subgroups in their likelihood of having specific conditions or risk factors;
• to assess the frequency with which particular combinations of risk factors are found, and which groups these combinations most commonly occur;
• to monitor progress towards selected health targets
• since 1995, to measure the height of children at different ages, replacing the National Study of Health and Growth;
• since 1995, monitor the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children.

The survey includes a number of core questions every year but also focuses on different health issues at each wave. Topics are revisited at appropriate intervals in order to monitor change.

Further information about the series may be found on the NHS Digital Health Survey for England; health, social care and lifestyles webpage, the NatCen Social Research NatCen Health Survey for England webpage and the University College London Health and Social Surveys Research Group UCL Health Survey for England webpage.

Changes to the HSE from 2015:
Users should note that from 2015 survey onwards, only the individual data file is available under standard End User Licence (EUL). The household data file is now only included in the Special Licence (SL) version, released from 2015 onwards. In addition, the SL individual file contains all the variables included in the HSE EUL dataset, plus others, including variables removed from the EUL version after the NHS Digital disclosure review. The SL HSE is subject to more restrictive access conditions than the EUL version (see Access information). Users are advised to obtain the EUL version to see if it meets their needs before considering an application for the SL version.

COVID-19 and the HSE:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the HSE 2020 survey was stopped in March 2020 and never re-started. There was no publication that year. The survey resumed in 2021, albeit with an amended methodology. The full HSE resumed in 2022, with an extended fieldwork period. Due to this, the decision was taken not to progress with the 2023 survey, to maximise the 2022 survey response and enable more robust reporting of data. See the NHS Digital Health Survey for England - Health, social care and lifestyles webpage for more details.

For the fourth edition (April 2010), three new children's Body Mass Index (BMI) variables have been added to the general population and ethnic boost data files (bmicat1, bmicat2, bmicat3). Further information is available in the documentation and on the Information Centre for Health and Social Care Health Survey for England web page.

This statistic displays the rate of hospital admissions for a primary or secondary diagnosis of obesity in England, in 2019/20, by gender and region. The rate of inpatient admissions for obesity are significantly higher for women than for men. In the East Midlands, the rate of admissions for men was 1,858 per 100,000 population, while the rate for women was 3,333 per 100,000 population.

• to provide annual data about the nation’s health;
• to estimate the proportion of people in England with specified health conditions;
• to estimate the prevalence of certain risk factors associated with these conditions;
• to examine differences between population subgroups in their likelihood of having specific conditions or risk factors;
• to assess the frequency with which particular combinations of risk factors are found, and which groups these combinations most commonly occur;
• to monitor progress towards selected health targets
• since 1995, to measure the height of children at different ages, replacing the National Study of Health and Growth;
• since 1995, monitor the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children.

The survey includes a number of core questions every year but also focuses on different health issues at each wave. Topics are revisited at appropriate intervals in order to monitor change.

Further information about the series may be found on the NHS Digital Health Survey for England; health, social care and lifestyles webpage, the NatCen Social Research NatCen Health Survey for England webpage and the University College London Health and Social Surveys Research Group UCL Health Survey for England webpage.

Changes to the HSE from 2015:
Users should note that from 2015 survey onwards, only the individual data file is available under standard End User Licence (EUL). The household data file is now only included in the Special Licence (SL) version, released from 2015 onwards. In addition, the SL individual file contains all the variables included in the HSE EUL dataset, plus others, including variables removed from the EUL version after the NHS Digital disclosure review. The SL HSE is subject to more restrictive access conditions than the EUL version (see Access information). Users are advised to obtain the EUL version to see if it meets their needs before considering an application for the SL version.

COVID-19 and the HSE:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the HSE 2020 survey was stopped in March 2020 and never re-started. There was no publication that year. The survey resumed in 2021, albeit with an amended methodology. The full HSE resumed in 2022, with an extended fieldwork period. Due to this, the decision was taken not to progress with the 2023 survey, to maximise the 2022 survey response and enable more robust reporting of data. See the NHS Digital Health Survey for England - Health, social care and lifestyles webpage for more details.

The Health Survey for England, 2000 (HSE00) consisted of two samples. The general population sample was a national cross-section sample. Up to two children aged 2-15 years were interviewed in each household, as well as up to 10 adults aged 16 years and over. All private households in the general population sample were eligible for inclusion in the survey (up to a maximum of three households per address).

Running alongside the general population sample was a care homes sample, selected from the Laing and Bussion database. The sample contained nursing, residential, dual-registered and small residential homes and covered local authority, voluntary and privately-owned care homes. Up to six people aged 65 and over were selected for interview at each care home, and given a cognitive functioning test to see whether they were capable of being interviewed in person. Proxy interviews for those who were not capable of being interviewed were introduced in June 2000.

For the fourth edition (July 2011), the GHQ12 variables were amended to correct errors in the GHQ12 scores. See document 'Note about GHQ12 problems in HSE Data' for details.

Proportion of adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25 and under 30 kg/m2. To help reduce the prevalence of obesity. Legacy unique identifier: P00846