Obesity rates are surging in several areas across England, according to new data, notably in the Midlands and North East. An estimated one-third or more of adults in 44 local authorities are now living with obesity, highlighting a growing health crisis.
Doncaster, Stockton-on-Tees, and Walsall are among the areas where obesity prevalence has climbed above 33.3 per cent in 2023/24. Just five years prior, these areas, along with others like Durham and Hull, reported lower figures, indicating a concerning upward trend.
The Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (OHID) published these estimates based on the Sport England Active Lives Adult Survey. The data reveals a stark geographical disparity, with Lincolnshire’s West Lindsey topping the list at 38.8 per cent obesity prevalence.
Hartlepool and Bolsover in Derbyshire follow closely behind, both at 37.9 per cent. Significantly, all ten areas with the highest obesity rates are located in the Midlands, Yorkshire, or the North East.
Of the 44 local authorities where obesity affects at least a third of the adult population, only five are situated in southern England, further emphasising the regional divide in this public health challenge.
By contrast, nine of the 10 areas with the lowest obesity estimates are in southern England, with the three lowest areas all in London: Islington (13.0 per cent), Hammersmith & Fulham (12.1 per cent) and Camden (11.0 per cent).
A total of 317 local authorities in England are included in the survey, meaning around one in seven were estimated to have at least a third of adults living with obesity in 2023/24.
This is up from around one in 25 (13 out of 317) in 2018/19.
There is a 27.8 percentage point gap between the areas with the highest (38.8 per cent) and lowest (11.0 per cent) obesity levels in the year to March 2024.
“Obesity is a global and complex public health concern,” the OHID said.
“It is associated with reduced life expectancy and is a risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, liver, and respiratory disease.
“It can also impact on mental health.
“Regular physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, colon and breast cancer, and improved mental health.”
The figures also show that prevalence of obesity is highest among those living in the most deprived areas of England, at 37.4 per cent of adults in 2023/24, and lowest in those living in the least deprived areas (19.8 per cent).
Obesity levels are estimated to be higher among adults identifying as black (33.1 per cent) than those in other ethnic groups, including white British (27.8 per cent), mixed (23.0 per cent) and Asian (20.6 per cent).
Some 252 of the 317 local authorities in England saw an increase in estimated obesity between 2018/19 and 2023/24, while 65 saw a fall.
There were 176 authorities that recorded a year-on-year rise between 2022/23 and 2023/24, with 140 seeing a drop and one recording no change.
All the data used by the OHID to compile the estimates is based on height and weight that has been self-reported by the survey’s participants, which has then been adjusted to more accurately predict figures that would have been measured by a health professional.
