Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential savings to the economy from reductions in sickness absence associated with effective treatment of obesity.

The Department commissioned a rapid review with the Obesity Policy Research Unit in 2025 which found that overweight and obesity are associated with labour market outcomes such as sickness absence. Evidence indicates that individuals living with obesity take around four additional sick days per year compared to those of a healthy weight, contributing to an estimated £4.9 billion annual loss in workplace productivity from absenteeism alone.

However, the Department does not produce specific assessments of the impact of weight loss or access to weight loss medication on sickness absence or the potential savings to the economy from reductions in sickness absence associated with obesity treatment. The Government will continue to monitor emerging evidence to better understand the full benefits of these treatments, including through forthcoming studies in the United Kingdom examining the effects of weight loss medicines on health, employment and work-related outcomes.