Obesity is a subject that has sparked heated debates across many groups, especially between the public and healthcare professionals. This topic isn’t easy to discuss, largely because of the societal impact of the term itself. However, I believe that when it comes to health discussions, obesity should not be avoided, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. Hearing that losing weight can improve your health is often difficult, and it’s understandable to feel that emotional struggles around weight loss aren’t always respected. Still, the consequences of obesity are real and serious: obesity can and does lead to death. That’s why it’s so important to understand the reasons behind ongoing conversations about obesity. My aim isn’t to fear-monger or criticise; I simply want to provide context, so that if a doctor discusses weight with you, it is seen as honest health guidance, not insensitivity.
What are the facts?
Global statistics:
- As of 2022, 1 in 8 people were living with obesity (1).
- Again, in 2022, 2.5 billion people, 18 years or older, were overweight (1).
- In 2024, 35 million children under 5 years were overweight (1)
- In 2022, 390 million children and young people (5-19 years old) were overweight (1)
UK statistics:
- In 2024, a national health survey revealed that an estimated 30% of adults in England were obese, with roughly 66% adults being either overweight or obese (2).
- Men were found to be more likely to be overweight and obese than women (70% men, 62% women) (2).
- This survey has also found that the prevalence of obesity increases with age, with ages 55 – 74 years having the highest prevalence (2).
- 28% of adults had a waist-to-height ratio of 0.6, which is higher than the recommended 0.5, and therefore suggests high central adiposity (this will be explained in more detail further in the article) (2).
General statistics:
- In 2023, 8,716 hospital admissions were directly attributable to obesity, which is an increase from 2022 (3).
- Again, in 2023, 370,356 items were prescribed for the treatment of obesity, which is lower than in 2015 (3).
- Obesity and other associated conditions place a burden of £6.5 billion on the NHS annually, as of 2022 (2).
- Studies have shown that obesity prevalence is also linked to socio-economic status, with poor, more deprived communities having higher levels of obesity (4).
- Obesity is most prevalent in black communities, with white British individuals having the second highest prevalence (4).
What exactly is Obesity?
Overweight or obese are terms used to describe a condition of excessive fat deposits. This means if a person is medically overweight or obese, they are thought to have higher body fat than is recommended. There are different ways we can define this, using standard measures like Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-to-Height Ratio.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
This is a measurement that uses your weight and height to give you a number which is measured against a standard chart. The formula for calculating BMI is: Weight / (Height x Height). Weight is written in kilograms, and height is written in metres. So, for example, someone with a weight of 88kg, and a height of 170cm (1.7m) would calculate their BMI as: 88 / (1.7 x 1.7) = 30.4.
The standard scale for BMI is as written (5):
<18.5 – Underweight Range
18.5 – 24.9 – Health Weight Range
25 – 29.9 – Overweight Range
30 – 39.9 – Obese Range
40 – Severely Obese Range
For those of us who are of Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, or African Caribbean groups, the BMI scales are adjusted slightly to (5):
18.5 – 22.9 – Health Weight Range
23 – 27.4 – Overweight Range
27.5 – Obese Range
BMI measurement has faced a lot of scrutiny and criticism over the last couple of years due to its limitations. For example, BMI uses total body weight, instead of body fat, so it does not take into consideration muscle mass, of which many athletes and sportspeople have a high amount of (5). According to BMI calculations, many sportspeople could be deemed overweight/obese. BMI is also inconsistent across ethnicities, age, and sex, and therefore provides more limitations to the method (6).
Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR)
This is a measurement that was developed to try to take abdominal body fat into consideration when diagnosing people as overweight or obese. The calculation uses your waist measurement and height measurement. The formula is: Waist circumference (cm) / Height (cm). For example, someone with a waist circumference of 81 cm and a height of 170cm would be: 81 / 170 = 0.47.
The classification scale for ratios is below (2):
0.4 – 0.49 – Health Central Body Fat
0.5 – 0.59 – Increased Central Body Fat
0.6 – High Central Body Fat
This is a measurement that is used alongside BMI to get a better understanding of a person’s body fat estimates.
The above statistics were produced using both BMI and Waist-to-Height Ratio definitions of overweight and obesity.
How does obesity contribute to health problems?
Numerous studies have published the health-related effects of obesity, and many studies have proved these links over the last century. Obesity increases the risk of many different conditions, but the main conditions which have been noted to increase the risk of death are Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. These conditions are all heavily influenced by having high body fat and, therefore, directly linked to obesity. By tackling obesity, we will in turn reduce the prevalence of many of these conditions (7). It really can be as simple as that; if you are able to limit your body fat to an acceptable and healthy level, then the risk of developing the conditions above is significantly reduced. Having raised body fat isn’t just seen on the outside; it is also seen in the blood vessels and in the linings around essential organs. If the fat is too much, this poses a real risk to these organs like our heart, lungs and kidneys.
What can cause obesity?
We know that a poor diet and low exercise contribute to becoming overweight or obese. However, other intricate factors and societal influences also play significant roles and must be considered, especially when seeking effective treatment.
- Genetics – unfortunately, genetics can actually play a role in becoming obese for some people, as some genes can leave you predisposed to becoming overweight/obese. Studies have shown that a child with one obese parent is 3 times more likely to be obese as an adult, while a child with 2 obese parents is 10 times more likely to be obese as an adult (7). This may also be linked to familial patterns and behaviours, but genetics plays a role in this. Twin studies have also shown that there is a genetic link to obesity (7).
- Food marketing – Food adverts and marketing are more tailored to foods with worse nutritional value, as fast-food companies and big corporations are all invested in making money from people seeking quick, easy food solutions (7). Thus, high-fat, high-sugar foods and diets are more accessible and provide more satisfaction based on marketing, in comparison to healthy and more organic options.
- Gut bacteria – New studies have been released recently which support the theories that gut bacteria play an influential role in the development of bacteria. Studies have shown that increased gut bacteria can be associated with increased weight, as the diversity in bacteria helps with digesting more food types. This means that while eating the same amount of food, someone with “more diverse” gut bacteria will take in more calories than someone with less diverse gut bacteria (7).
How can obesity be treated?
I hate to be the one to say it, but the first step to treatment is proper diet and exercise. You just can’t get around that. This may not be the only solution for some people, but if you don’t have a good diet and are not exercising enough, even if you use medical or surgical treatment, this will not last.
Creating and eating according to a good diet can be difficult if you don’t have any idea what a good diet is. Research and advice from professionals like dieticians and nutritionists can really help with this step. With regards to exercise, you should aim to start with low-intensity cardio workouts like walking, jogging or swimming for at least 2.5-5 hours a week (4). This will improve your heart health and help you build up your exercise tolerance. It also helps to engage in weight management programmes and groups, as this provides support but also accountability for the tough journey of trying to lose weight healthily.
If other medical conditions are contributing to a person’s obesity, then medical treatments to treat the underlying problem are offered. For example, if obesity is related to a hormonal problem (as is sometimes seen in patients with Hypothyroidism), medications will be offered which help with managing the hormone imbalance, and thus help with weight loss as well.
There are also weight loss medications which can be offered, which directly help with weight management and appetite control; however, I won’t be talking about these medications in this article, as I think I need to carry out much more in-depth and measured research and gain a better understanding before I write about them.
Lastly, surgery can be offered to patients over 35 BMI score, but this is only offered after a consultation occurs with your doctor and they have confirmed that all other forms of weight loss have not worked for you. These surgeries are life-altering surgeries as they change the way your body digests food, and so it is important that it is only used as a last resort and not the first line option.
I hope this article has helped to bring more reality to the very pressing issue of being overweight and obese, and also has helped to shed light on the importance of weight loss. Leave a comment if you want to discuss more about the points made in the article.
References:
- World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2025 Dec 8 [cited 2026 May 1]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
- NHS England Digital. Adults’ overweight and obesity. Health Survey for England 2024 [Internet]. Leeds: NHS England Digital; 2026 Jan 27 [cited 2026 May 1]. Available from: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/2024/adults-overweight-and-obesity
- NHS England Digital. Statistics on Public Health, England 2023 [Internet]. Leeds: NHS England Digital; 2023 Dec [cited 2026 May 1]. Available from: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-public-health/2023
- Baker C. Obesity statistics. House of Commons Library Research Briefing SN03336 [Internet]. London: House of Commons Library; 2024 [cited 2026 May 1]. Available from: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn03336/
- NHS. Obesity [Internet]. London: NHS; 2023 Feb 15 [cited 2026 May 1]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/
- Callahan EA, editor. Translating Knowledge of Foundational Drivers of Obesity into Practice: Proceedings of a Workshop Series. Chapter 10, The Science, Strengths, and Limitations of Body Mass Index [Internet]. Washington (DC): National Academies Press; 2023 Jul 31 [cited 2026 May 1]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594362/
- Lin X, Li H. Obesity: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Therapeutics. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) [Internet]. 2021 Sep 6 [cited 2026 May 1];12:706978. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8450866/doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.706978
