The Office for National Statistics has reported that a quarter of the UK population is now officially obese, and that nearly one in ten adults are now so obese their doctor sees their weight as a serious health risk .
The obesity register maintained by GPs shows that there are over 5.5 million adults officially listed as obese, as defined by the body mass index (BMI) measure, based on weight and height, a rise of a quarter of a million in the last year. The largest rise was in England, which saw a 5.5 per cent increase between 2008 and 2009, although there were similar statistical rises across the UK.
There are almost 3 million people now suffering from type 2 diabetes, a condition associated with an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle, and health experts are warning that we have to change our lifestyles before it is too late. The figures, which were collated by the health charity Diabetes UK, also reveal that one in 20 of the population are being treated for diabetes and one in ten for obesity.
Simon O’Neill, of Diabetes UK, commented “Once again we see a shocking rise in diabetes and obesity rates in the UK. Many, but not all, people develop Type 2 diabetes because they are overweight or obese so we must keep up the mantra of five fruit and veg a day, encourage daily physical activity and warn of the potentially devastating consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle.”
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