England’s obesity hotspots: how does your area compare?

Obesity is an increasing concern in the UK, with the latest figures showing that a quarter of the English population are obese.

Across England, some 64.8 per cent of people are of excess weight – comprised of 40.4 per cent of people who are overweight and a further 24.4 per cent who are obese.

Between January 2013 and January 2016, the fattest areas in England were Rotherham, Doncaster and Halton, where three in four people were overweight or obese.

In Rotherham – the area with the most people of excess weight in England – some 43.5 per cent of people were overweight, while 32.6 per cent were obese.

Being of excess weight is defined as having a BMI of greater than or equal to 25kg/m². Obesity is defined as over 30kg/m².

At the other end of the scale, urban areas in the south of England have much lower levels of obesity.

Cambridge, and the London boroughs of Camden and Kensington and Chelsea, have the smallest shares of people of excess weight in the country.

How does your area rank for obesity?

By typing in your postcode below, you can find out the levels of obesity, overweight people and those of healthy weight in your area.

What is England’s most obese region?

England’s most obese region is the North East, which has an obesity rate of 27.1 per cent and a further 41.5 per cent of its people overweight.

The surrounding areas of Yorkshire and the Humber and the East Midlands are also fatter than average, with 26.7 per cent of people in Yorkshire and the Humber being obese.

London has the lowest levels of obesity in the country, with just a fifth of its people rated as obese. Just 38.5 per cent of Londoners were classed as overweight.

Compared to other parts of the UK, England has less of an obesity issue than Scotland. The NHS said that, as of 2013, 27 per cent of Scottish adults were obese, while in Wales, the obesity rate was 22 per cent.

source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ramin Sarajari’s comment:

I must remember Childhood obesity issue that cause increasing obesity statistics in the future.  It is a is a complex health issue. It occurs when a child is well above the normal or healthy weight for his or her age and height.

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure used to determine childhood overweight and obesity. Overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 85^th percentile and below the 95^th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex.

 

BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters. For children and teens, BMI is age- and sex-specific and is often referred to as BMI-for-age. A child’s weight status is determined using an age- and sex-specific percentile for BMI rather than the BMI categories used for adults. This is because children’s body composition varies as they age and varies between boys and girls. Therefore, BMI levels among children and teens need to be expressed relative to other children of the same age and sex.

 

Consequences of Obesity

More Immediate Health Risks

• Obesity during childhood can have a harmful effect on the body in a variety of ways. Children who have obesity are more likely to have
  • High blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • Increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
  • Breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea.
  • Joint problems and musculoskeletal discomfort.
  • Fatty liver disease, gallstones, and gastro-esophageal reflux (i.e., heartburn).

Childhood obesity is also related to

• Psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
• Low self-esteem and lower self-reported quality of life.
• Social problems such as bullying and stigma.

Future Health Risks

• Children who have obesity are more likely to become adults with obesity.¹¹Adult obesity is associated with increased risk of a number of serious health conditions including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
• If children have obesity, their obesity and disease risk factors in adulthood are likely to be more severe

source: www.cdc.gov