Obesity rates in England have worsened since the pandemic, with nearly one in three adults now affected, according to concerning analysis. A global study, utilizing NHS health records for nearly 55 million adults over six years, found that individuals in the poorest areas of northeast England are six times more likely to be obese than those in central London. The study's findings were published in The Lancet's Diabetes and Endocrinology journal.
Researchers highlighted that the rise in new obesity cases among young adults is particularly concerning. Overall obesity rates increased by 4 percent in 2025 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Young adults aged 30 to 39 saw the largest increase, with rates rising by almost a fifth. For adults aged 20 to 29, rates of new obesity cases rose by 16 percent, while rates decreased among older adults aged 60 to 79.
The analysis revealed significant disparities linked to socioeconomic status. Obesity rates were 35 percent higher for individuals facing the highest socioeconomic deprivation and lowest incomes compared to the highest earners. The proportion of people affected by obesity in some parts of northeast England was nearly six times higher than in affluent areas of central London, where just over 8 percent of people were obese. This gap was even wider for women, with new cases of obesity over 50 percent higher among the most deprived.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or over or based on a clinician's diagnosis. Experts noted that obesity in people of reproductive age is particularly concerning due to its associations with infertility, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and childhood obesity, potentially perpetuating intergenerational cycles of health inequality.
Despite an estimated 2.4 million people in the UK taking weight loss drugs, the study indicated no obvious reduction in obesity rates following their introduction. Professor Robert Fletcher, a co-author of the study, stated that the drugs alone are unlikely to be the solution, citing their high cost and private prescription status as barriers for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. He emphasized the need for deep-seated change to the social and economic factors driving obesity.
Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow and a study participant, commented that obesity is primarily not a matter of willpower. He noted that those most at risk often reside in environments that promote obesity and have limited agency to resist these influences. Sattar called for fundamental reshaping of food and activity environments to make healthier choices easier.
The research team is urging the government to accelerate access to new treatments and implement prevention strategies tailored to age, sex, and ethnicity-specific contexts where obesity is increasing most rapidly. They warn that failure to act will lead to further rises in chronic illnesses and human suffering, with profound consequences for the National Health Service and the economy.
Study co-lead Angela Wood, Professor at the University of Cambridge and Associate Director at the British Heart Foundation Data Science Centre, highlighted the comprehensive evidence showing how obesity risk and burden are diverging across multiple dimensions of inequality. She underscored the critical importance of secure access to whole-population health data for research, surveillance, and timely action to address widening health inequalities.