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Obesity may cause heart disease in extra 461,000 UK people, say studies

26 August 2011

UK obesity figures could rise to 26 million by 2030, causing an estimated 461,000 extra people to develop heart disease, according to a series of new research papers on global obesity.

The papers, published ahead of the UN's first high-level meeting on non-communicable disease in September, highlight the possible health and economic burdens of obesity if it's left unchecked.

The research states that 15 million people are already obese in the UK and suggests this could rise by 11 million over the next two decades. The researchers estimate this will drive up spending on obesity related health problems by 25 per cent each year, costing the NHS an extra £2 billion annually.

Our associate medical director, Dr Mike Knapton, said: "These predicted figures for obesity and heart disease in the UK are deeply worrying and show how urgently action is needed. And it's not just the UK, obesity is now a global pandemic fuelling diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. If we fail to tackle it now we'll leave a legacy of people living poor quality lives and dying young.

If we fail to tackle it now we'll leave a legacy of people living poor quality lives and dying young

"What we have to remember is that obesity is a 'normal response' to our environment. Culturally, we're reliant on cars, our jobs and leisure activities are increasingly sedentary and we are faced with an abundance of easily available high-energy foods.

"Yet while we all have a role to play in tackling this problem, this research recognises that national governments are the most significant players - ahead of individuals, industry and civil society. In the UK, we need our Government to take the lead and make it easier to be healthier, such as by ensuring children are fully protected from junk food marketing on and off line."

The studies are published in the Lancet.



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