Britain’s obesity crisis is worsening as the number of overweight people requiring hospital treatment increases
The number of obese patients being treated in hospital has quadrupled in ten years, new figures show.
Official data shows that almost 1.9 million obese people will have received hospital treatment in the period 2023-2024, compared to 442,083 a decade ago.
This includes 14,010 children and teenagers under the age of 18 – almost a threefold increase from 4,655 in 2013-14.
The figures, from NHS England, cover all patients diagnosed with obesity, meaning their excess weight was thought to have fueled their health problem.
And this includes 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.
Official data shows that almost 1.9 million obese people will have received hospital treatment in the period 2023-2024, compared to 442,083 a decade ago
The number of obese patients being treated in hospital has quadrupled in ten years, new figures show
Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said the hospital figures were “a stark reminder of the growing impact of unhealthy weight on the health of our country.”
“Behind these figures are preventable cases of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and joint problems, which are keeping many of us from living longer, healthier lives,” she said.
Earlier this month it emerged that millions of people in Britain will be denied the ‘King Kong’ of weight loss jabs and instead directed to a free NHS app.
Fewer than one in 10 patients who meet the criteria for Mounjaro will be prescribed it by the NHS in the next three years, the medicines regulator confirmed.
In a blow to Labour’s healthcare plans, NICE said only 220,000 of 3.4 million eligible patients will receive the drug as part of the initial rollout.
The jab earned its reputation as the most effective in clinical trials, which showed patients typically lost more than 20 percent of their body weight.
It works by reducing food cravings and causing the stomach to empty more slowly.
14,010 obese children and teenagers under 18 – almost a threefold increase from 4,655 in 2013-2014 – received hospital treatment last year
Health officials admit that ‘many will have to wait’ or look for alternative ways to lose weight to avoid the NHS being overwhelmed by the huge demand.
The unprecedented move to stagger Mounjaro’s rollout was necessary “to protect other vital NHS services”, she added.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘Obesity can be debilitating, costing the NHS billions and robbing children of the best possible start in life, leaving them with lifelong health problems.
‘This Government is committed to tackling the obesity crisis head-on and shifting our focus from treatment to prevention as part of our 10-year health plan.
‘We have already announced plans to ban junk food advertisements on TV and online. We have also given local authorities stronger powers to block requests for unhealthy takeaways near schools and stop fast food giants from targeting pupils.”