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Future Fit Traning

40+ Essential Obesity Statistics and Trends in the UK (2023)

Written by Luca Tagliaferro

An increasing number of individuals in the UK are choosing to combat obesity. There are many reasons why this is happening.

It might be the recent world pandemic and the fact that a sedentary life never helped anyone lose weight. Or maybe it’s well known that obesity carries lots of other serious illnesses.

If you’re wondering whether it’s time for you to tackle obesity, the following obesity statistics and trends might convince you it’s the right thing to do in 2023.

The prevalence of obesity in the UK has been steadily increasing over the past few decades.

Here are some statistics across different categories:

Adult obesity statistics

adult obesity stats
  1. In 2022, 68% of men were overweight, compared to 60% of women
  2. Moreover, 29% of men and 27% of women are considered obese.
  3. In Scotland, in 2021, the prevalence of overweight among adults remained consistent with or slightly higher than rates observed each year since 2008, with two-thirds of adults affected.
  4. In 2020, 23% of adults in Wales were obese.
  5. In 2022, 25% of adults in Northern Ireland were obese.

Useful articles: 50+ essential fitness statistics

Childhood obesity statistics

  1. In 2022, in England, the obesity prevalence among children in reception was 9.9%.
  2. In England in 2022, 21.6% of children live with obesity in year 6 (aged 10-11).
  3. In Scotland, while the percentage of children at risk of obesity in 2021/22 was lower at 11.7% than in 2020/21 at 15.5%, it still remained higher than the 10.4% observed in 2019/20.
  4. In 2019/20, 19% of children in Wales were obese.
  5. In 2022, 20% of children in Northern Ireland were obese.

Obesity cost statistics

  1. Most prevention programmes would cost up to GBP 100 million every year
  2. Individual counselling by family doctors costing up to GBP 465 million
  3. Prevention can save up to £30,000 of life gained in good health
  4. School-based food can save up to £90,000 of life gained in good health

UK Areas:

uk areas affected by obesity
  1. In 2020, the North East of England had the highest adult obesity rate at 35.6%.
  2. London had the lowest adult obesity rate at 22.0%.
  3. IBarking and Dagenham had the highest child obesity rate in England in Reception (aged 4-5) at 30.2%.
  4. Kingston upon Thames had the lowest child obesity rate in England in Reception (aged 4-5) at 11.4%.

Comparison to Other Countries

obesity comparison by country
  1. Obesity rates in the United Kingdom are the highest in Europe.
  2.  In England, rates have increased faster than in most OECD countries.
  3. In 2019, the UK had the third-highest adult obesity rate among OECD countries at 27.8%, behind only the United States and Mexico.
  4. In 2019, the UK had the highest child obesity rate among OECD countries for girls aged 5-19.
  5. In 2019, the UK had the second-highest child obesity rate among OECD countries for boys aged 5-19, behind only the United States.
  1. According to the OECD, the proportion of overweight individuals in England is expected to increase by 10% over the next decade.
  2. Radiologists conducted 43.3 million imaging tests in England in the 12 months from April 2021 to March 2022.
  3. In 1993, the adult obesity rate in England was 13.2%.
  4. In 2022, the child obesity rate in Reception (aged 4-5) in England was 21.6%. It almost doubled since 1993.
  5. In 2020, the adult obesity rate in Scotland was 29%, an increase from 27.8% in 2018.
  6. In 2019/20, the child obesity rate in Wales was 19%, a decrease from 20% in 2018/19.
  7. In 2019/20, the adult obesity rate in Northern Ireland was 27%, a slight decrease from 27.8% in 2018/19.
  8. In 2019/20, the child obesity rate in Northern Ireland was 21%, a slight decrease from 21.2% in 2018/19.
  9. In 2019, the UK had the highest child obesity rate for boys aged 5-19 among OECD countries, with 23.8% of boys being overweight or obese.
  10. Between 2000 and 2022, the adult obesity rate in the UK increased from 20.9% to 27.8%.
  11. Between 2000 and 2016, the child obesity rate in the UK increased from 16.9% to 24.0%.
  12. In England, the adult obesity rate increased from 15.7% in 1993 to 28.0% in 2020.
  13. In England, the child obesity rate in Reception (aged 4-5) increased from 9.9% in 2006 to 22.0% in 2020.
  14. In England, the child obesity rate in Year 6 (aged 10-11) increased from 18.7% in 2006 to 34.1% in 2020.
  15. In Scotland, the adult obesity rate increased from 19% in 1995 to 29% in 2019.
  16. In Scotland, the child obesity rate increased from 13% in 1998 to 28% in 2019.
  17. In Wales, the adult obesity rate increased from 15% in 1997 to 23% in 2020.
  18. In Wales, the child obesity rate in Reception (aged 4-5) increased from 7% in 2004 to 19% in 2019/20.
  19. In Northern Ireland, the adult obesity rate increased from 16% in 1997 to 27% in 2019/20.
  20. In Northern Ireland, the child obesity rate increased from 7% in 1997 to 21% in 2019/20.

Sources:

  • Public Health England. (2022). Adult obesity and type 2 diabetes.
  • Scottish Government. (2022). Scottish Health Survey 2021.
  • Welsh Government. (2022). National Survey for Wales 2020-21: Adult health and lifestyle.
  • Department of Health, Northern Ireland. (2020). Health Survey Northern Ireland 2019/20.
  • National Child Measurement Programme. (2020). 2020/21 school year.
  • OECD. Obesity Update 2019.