England is beginning to turn the tide on rising obesity rates for the first time in two decades, according to NHS figures.
The number of overweight children has dropped to its lowest level since 2000, while adult obesity rates have remained stable for the past five years. Data from the annual NHS health survey indicates that the trend of expanding waistlines, which has persisted since records began in 1993, is finally levelling off. This change reflects the effectiveness of public health initiatives, such as the sugar tax, and growing concerns about ultra-processed foods among health-conscious individuals.
The Labour government is committed to further action, planning to introduce measures such as a ban on junk food advertising. Experts are optimistic that these initiatives, combined with weight-loss medications like Ozempic, could reverse obesity rates for the first time.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, stated, “Obesity remains one of the biggest public health issues we face as a society, but these figures provide cautious optimism that the combination of NHS weight management programmes and public health initiatives on junk food and sugar are laying the groundwork for reversing decades of rising obesity rates and the associated costs to the health service, individuals, and the economy.”
The annual data covering 2022, measured the height and weight of 9,000 adults and children across England to calculate their body mass index (BMI). It found that 27 percent of children aged 2 to 15 were classified as overweight or obese, the lowest level since 2000, down from 30 percent in 2019 and a peak of 34 percent in 2004.
Meanwhile, the average BMI of adults has remained stable since 2017, after a gradual rise over the previous 15 years. Currently, 64 percent of adults are classified as overweight or obese, a significant increase from 53 percent in 1993 and 60 percent in 2003.
