Britain’s obesity crisis deepens as number of overweight people requiring hospital treatment rises

The number of obese patients hospitalized has quadrupled in a decade, according to new figures.

Official data reveals that almost 1.9 million obese people were hospitalized in 2023-2024, compared to 442,083 ten years ago.

This includes 14,010 children and adolescents under the age of 18, almost three times more than 4,655 in 2013-2014.

The figures, from NHS England, cover all patients diagnosed with obesity, meaning their excess weight is considered to have fueled their health problem.

And they include 11,221 cases where obesity was the main reason for hospital treatment.

Obesity can cause many health problems, including heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and osteoarthritis.

Experts said the figures published in the Telegraph were a “tragic” reflection of the failure of successive governments to tackle Britain’s obesity epidemic.

Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said the hospital figures were “a stark reminder of the growing impact of unhealthy weight on our nation’s health”.

“Behind these numbers are preventable cases of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and joint problems, which are preventing many of us from living longer, healthier lives,” she said.

Earlier this month it emerged that millions of people in the UK would be denied the ‘King Kong’ of weight loss vaccines and instead be directed to a free NHS app.

Fewer than one in ten patients meeting the Mounjaro criteria will be prescribed the NHS in the next three years, the medicines regulator has confirmed.

In a blow to Labor’s health plans, NICE said only 220,000 of 3.4 million eligible patients would receive the drug under the initial rollout.

The vaccine gained a reputation for being the most effective in clinical trials, which showed patients typically lost more than 20% of their body weight.

It works by reducing food cravings and causes the stomach to empty more slowly.

Health officials admit “many will have to wait” or look for other ways to lose weight to avoid the NHS being overwhelmed by the huge demand.

The unprecedented decision to phase out Mounjaro was necessary “to protect other vital NHS services”, they added.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Obesity can be debilitating, costs the NHS billions and deprives children of the best possible start in life, setting them up for health problems throughout the year. their life.

“This government is determined to tackle the obesity crisis head-on, shifting our focus from treatment to prevention as part of our 10-year health plan.

“We have already announced our intention to ban junk food adverts on TV and online. We also gave local authorities stronger powers to block requests for unhealthy takeaways near schools and prevent fast food giants from targeting pupils.