Young adults drive fastest rise in obesity diagnoses in England, study finds
New obesity diagnoses are rising fastest among England's young adults, according to a Lancet study analyzing 55 million NHS records. In 2024-25, 30-39-year-olds had 24.1 new obesity cases per 1,000 people (up from 20.3 in 2019-20), and 20-29-year-olds had 20.3 per 1,000 (up from 17.5), while rates in older groups fell and overall obesity prevalence rose from 26.2% to 30.3%. The researchers cite factors such as a pervasive unhealthy food environment, advertising, and cost-of-living and pandemic-related stress, with earlier onset more common in non-white groups and more deprived areas. They note that access to weight-loss drugs under NHS constraints could shape these patterns. The findings raise concerns about long-term health risks and widening inequalities, prompting ongoing government action on obesity.
