Obesity rates in England have risen dramatically since 1993, with the proportion of adults aged 16 and over classified as obese doubling from 15% to 30% in 2024, according to analysis by the King’s Fund. This increase means approximately seven million more adults are now living with obesity compared to if rates had remained at 1993 levels. Young adults aged 16 to 24 have experienced particularly sharp increases, with 18% classified as obese or severely obese in 2024 compared to just 6% in 1993, representing roughly one million young adults with obesity.
Multiple factors have contributed to this rise. Changes in the employment landscape have shifted the economy toward service industry and office-based roles, reducing opportunities for physical labor and manual work. Simultaneously, food prices have declined since the 1990s due to increased supermarket competition and the proliferation of fast food outlets and home delivery services. Less healthy foods are now more affordable and convenient to obtain than they were three decades ago, while takeaway options high in fat, salt, and sugar are particularly accessible in areas of higher deprivation.
Obesity carries significant health risks, potentially contributing to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers. The economic burden is substantial, with estimates placing the annual cost to the UK economy at approximately £126bn, including £12bn to the NHS, which represents roughly 7% of its annual budget. Despite 14 national obesity strategies being published since 1992, progress has been widely criticized as insufficient.
Governmental responses have included various measures over the years, ranging from advertising restrictions to taxation on high-sugar beverages. In January of this year, the Labour government implemented a ban on junk food advertising before 21:00 on television and at any time online. Pharmaceutical interventions, particularly GLP1 weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro, are increasingly being used, though NHS access remains restricted to those meeting specific criteria. England’s Chief Medical Officer has cautioned that medicating people for life should not be society’s sole response to obesity, pointing to countries such as France that have maintained stable obesity levels.
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