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24% of adults (aged 16 or over) in England are classified as obese; this represents an overall increase from 15% in 1993.
37% of adults have a raised waist circumference compared to 23% in 1993. Women are more likely then men to have a raised waist circumference (41% and 32% respectively.
Using both BMI and waist circumference to assess risk of health problems of men, 20% are estimated to be at increased risk, 13% at high risk and 21% at very high risk. Equivalent figures for women show 14% at increased risk, 16% at high risk and 23% at very high risk.
16% of children aged 2 to 15 are classed as obese, representing an overall increase from 11% in 1995.
Men and women with low physical activity levels were more than twice as likely as to have a raised waist circumference than those with high levels of physical activity. Three in ten adults had not participated in active sport in last 12 months. The main reasons for not participating were 'health isn't good enough' (47%) followed by 'difficulty in finding the time' and 'not being interested' (both 18%).
For people aged 35 and over classified as having a raised waist circumference, men were twice as likely and women were four times more likely to have type 2 diabetes.
1.06 million prescriptions are dispensed for the treatment of obesity. Overall, the number of prescriptions has raised more than eight times the number prescribed in 1999, when there were 127 thousand prescriptions.
By 2015 the Foresight Report predicts that if current trends persist, 36% of men and 28% of women aged 21 to 60 living in England will be obese. By 2025, these figures are estimated to rise to 47% and 36% respectively.