Obesity €“ the picture
Obesity is a common problem in the UK, being ranked as one of the most obese nations in
Europe. It's estimated that obesity affects around 1 in every 4 adults, costing the NHS more than £5billion each year and is an increasing problem. It is expected that 75% of British men and 65% of British women will be overweight or obese by 2030.1,2
One of Public Health England's priorities for the next 5 years is “Healthier diets, healthier weight”, which is echoed across Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland. Focusing on tackling obesity by encouraging local populations to live a healthier lifestyle whilst and if required offering pharmacological intervention to assist in their weight loss journey.
Obesity is defined by a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2. BMI is calculated using the following formula:
The National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) defines weight classes according to the following BMI ranges3:
It is important to note that BMI should be used as a guide and is not definitive. For example muscle is much denser than fat, and as such very muscular people such as weight trainers and athletes may be a healthy weight even though their BMI is classed as obese.
1. National Institute for Health and Care and Excellence (NICE), Clinical Knowledge Summaries, Obesity, Updated December 2017
2. NHS Statistics: Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet, England, 2020
3. National Institute for Health and Care and Excellence (NICE), Obesity: identification, assessment and management, Published November 2014