Read: Urgent action needed as obesity crisis threatens more lives
The news that by the late 2020s there will be more obese people in England than those of a healthy weight has brought home the scale of the problem we have in 21st century Britain. Obesity has an extensive impact on physical and mental wellbeing. Research over the last few years has increasingly proved that it can also be a contributory and exacerbating factor for a number of serious diseases.
New research based on data collected by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) shows that the problem is getting worse. Forty-two million adults in the UK will be overweight or obese by 2040 – that’s 71% of the population, a rise of 64% from today. And of those, almost 36% of adults will be obese - 21 million people and almost one in four of the UK adult population.
These people will be at a higher risk of 13 different types of cancer. An estimated 22,800 cases of cancer are attributed to obesity in the UK every year. Being overweight or obese can also cause high blood pressure and is the single biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes. It is often associated with poor psychological and emotional health, poor sleep and can deeply affect self-esteem. The cost to NHS - more than £6 billion a year – is immense.
The higher rate of mortality during the pandemic demonstrated that those in the most deprived communities are also the most vulnerable. The pandemic also highlighted the link between obesity and poorer health outcomes. The incidence of obesity, and the serious and life-threatening diseases that can result, is yet another example of health disparity in the UK today. CRUK’s research shows that in 2019 35% of people living in the most deprived areas of England were obese. That’s predicted to increase to 46% by 2040. In comparison, 22% of people living in the least deprived areas were obese in 2019, with a predicted rise to 25% by 2040. And older age groups, those from some black and minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities are also more likely to be affected.
Despite the Government’s pledge to halve childhood obesity by 2030, there’s also been a sharp spike in childhood obesity. One in four of all 11-year-olds leaving primary school are now obese, with those in the lowest income areas twice as likely to be at risk. As with adults, obesity is associated with poor psychological and emotional health, and many children will experience bullying. They are also more likely to become adults living with obesity, with an increased risk of premature death and disability.
Obesity is a complex problem with a range of similarly complex causes. Prevention is key and education can play a crucial role in tackling it - the earlier that starts, the more effective it will be. Even so, many people need help and support to live healthier lifestyles, to make healthier choices and to exercise as part of a weight loss programme. Government undoubtedly has a role to play, making targeted regulatory interventions that will encourage change. The food industry can also play its part by promoting and supplying healthier choices. It has a powerful impact on the choices consumers make and can use that power for the good of the population.
The cost of living crisis is likely to make much of this harder. The Government’s Food Strategy, published last week, acknowledged that poverty makes it harder to prioritise healthier eating. It’s not just the cost of buying the ingredients but also the time, knowledge and skills needed to prepare food which makes it more challenging for many. Moving away from prepared high-calorie food is not easy but that excess calorie intake is a key driver of obesity. A focus on schools therefore is welcome, with the Government building on its announcement in the Levelling Up White Paper earlier this year. Not for the first time, we are seeing plans to introduce measures to improve school food and to deliver a so-called ‘school food revolution’. This must be a priority if we want young adults better educated in how to eat well and have a healthy lifestyle. Successive governments have not achieved this and, if the current Government is serious, then we need to see action now. There has been fierce debate following the postponement of a ban on buy-one-get-one-free deals for foods high in fat, salt and sugar, despite evidence showing that shoppers spend more on these offers than they otherwise would. A ban on TV junk food adverts before a 9pm watershed has also been postponed and there is, not unsurprisingly, some cynicism about how seriously the Government is taking the need to tackle obesity.
Some of the most effective interventions can be made by local front-line health professionals working with the families and communities they know, developing trusted relationships to achieve better outcomes. Familiar with the resources and services in their area, they can work with people to find effective solutions and are in a good position to share best practice with other colleagues in other areas. Local Food Partnerships have already brought together councils and partners from the public sector, voluntary and community groups and businesses to reduce diet-related ill health and inequality, while supporting a prosperous local food economy. In Yorkshire for example, Barnsley Council is the first local authority in the north of England to restrict advertising on high fat, salt and/or sugar products on all council owned or leased advertising sites.
The Government published its obesity strategy in 2020 with much fanfare. Health professionals now have high expectations that the forthcoming health disparities white paper will deliver a plan of action that will successfully combat the obesogenic environment in which we live. It has said that it will set out its approach to working with the food industry to create a healthier food environment for all and to investing in innovative approaches to address weight and diet-related ill health. Obesity is too prevalent – and costly – a problem to ignore, and one which has all too often been put on the back burner. Until it is effectively addressed, those living in deprived communities will continue to be left behind. Levelling up people’s life expectancy and the number of years they live in good health must be a priority. To do otherwise means they will face longer years in poor health, premature death and an inability to access the opportunities that will help to make their lives better.
