Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people who are obese; what estimate they have made of the costs of obesity to the economy and society; and what action they are taking to combat obesity and reduce the number of obese people.

Using the latest Health Survey for England estimates from 2022, and the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) population estimates for England, we estimate that in 2022, approximately 13.5 million adults, or 28.9% of England’s population, were living with obesity. In addition, using the latest National Child Measurement Program estimates from 2023/24, and the latest ONS population estimates for England, we estimate that in the 2023/24 school year, there were approximately 1.4 million children living with obesity.

In 2023, Frontier Economics estimated that the total cost to society of obesity was approximately £74.3 billion per year in the United Kingdom. This estimate encompasses reduced quality of life, sickness absence, and National Health Service and social care costs, due to a higher probability of hospitalisation and/or death.

In relation to the NHS, in 2023 Frontier Economics found that the annual cost to the NHS of obesity related ill-health is £11.4 billion, which is the equivalent to approximately 7% of the NHS’ 2023/24 budget. Frontier Economics also found that higher body mass index increases the likelihood of requiring social care for long-term illness, with a total social care cost of £5.9 billion. The total social care cost is composed of informal social care, at approximately £5.5 billion, and formal social care, at approximately £400 million.

Finally, estimates from Frontier Economics in 2023 found that increased sickness absence and early death reduces workforce productivity, with a total economic cost of £8.9 billion per year. Individuals living with obesity take more sick days, reducing productivity across the workforce.

Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out the decisive action we will take on the obesity crisis.