Most of us are overweight. It’s a significant problem, and one I led the debate on in Parliament this week.
For some this might be because there is a genetic pre-disposition towards weight, but for the overwhelming majority it is simply because we eat too much and don’t get enough exercise.
These days we measure obesity by looking at a person’s BMI (body mass index), which takes into account a person’s height and weight. Roughly speaking, about 65% of us carry excess weight, and nearly 30% of us are clinically obese.
This isn’t just an issue for adults. Some 10% of 5 year olds are obese, rising to 22% by the time they are 11, potentially setting a pattern for adult life.
This matters because our weight has major implications for our health.
From a lack of energy, varicose veins, poor sleep and breathlessness through to osteo-arthritis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, the effect on our health is significant and pernicious. The impact is not just personal. People with excess weight take more time off work through sickness (37 million sick days last year), and cost the country some £98bn a year in loss of productivity and the costs of healthcare.
Obesity is now the single most important modifiable risk factor for the prevention of disease – ie we can do something about it.
But even the obvious answers – eating better and exercising more – can be difficult.
Unhealthy food choices are often the easiest, cheapest, and most convenient, while also being the most profitable for businesses. Research from The Food Foundation reveals that healthy foods are, calorie-for-calorie, twice as expensive as less healthy options. More than 50% of what we eat in the UK are ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
We need to make eating healthily easier and more attractive, setting up good habits from birth onwards. Breastfed children are 25% less likely to be obese. Eating a good quality breakfast before school (and work) and reducing the attractions of UPFs (ie by managing advertising) will have a major impact.
The best way to make this country healthier is to narrow the gap between rich and poor: increasing the living wage, reducing child poverty, improving health and social services, and investing in education, and introducing mandatory targets for the food industry.
But we all have our part to play and a responsibility for ourselves and others. Going into 2025, let’s try and make ourselves a bit healthier. It will change our lives.