Britain’s obesity crisis worsens as number of overweight people requiring hospital treatment shoots up

The number of obese patients receiving hospital treatment has quadrupled in a decade, new figures show.

Official data reveals almost 1.9 million obese people had hospital treatment in 2023-24, up from 442,083 a decade ago.

This includes 14,010 children and teenagers under the age of 18 – nearly a threefold increase from 4,655 in 2013-14.

The figures, from NHS England, cover all patients with a diagnosis of obesity, meaning their excess weight was deemed to have fuelled their health issue.

And they include 11,221 cases where obesity was the primary reason for hospital treatment.

Obesity can cause many health issues including heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and osteoarthritis.

Experts said the numbers, published in the Telegraph, were a ‘tragic’ reflection of the failure of successive governments to tackle Britain’s obesity epidemic.

Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said the hospital figures were ‘a stark reminder of the growing impact of unhealthy weight on our nation’s health’.

‘Behind these figures are preventable cases of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and joint problems, which are holding back many of us from enjoying living longer, healthier lives,’ she said.

Earlier this month it emerged that millions of people in the UK will be denied the ‘King Kong’ of weight loss jabs and instead directed to a free NHS app.

Fewer than one in 10 patients who meet the criteria for Mounjaro will be prescribed it on the NHS in the next three years, the drugs regulator confirmed.

In a blow to Labour’s health plans, NICE said just 220,000 of the 3.4 million eligible patients will be given the drug as part of the initial rollout.

The jab earned its reputation as the most effective in clinical trials, which showed patients typically lost more than 20 per cent of their body weight.

It works by reducing food cravings and causes the stomach to empty more slowly.

Health officials admit ‘many will have to wait’ or seek alternative ways to lose weight to stop the NHS being overwhelmed by the huge demand.

The unprecedented move of staggering Mounjaro’s rollout was necessary ‘to protect other vital NHS services’, they added.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘Obesity can be debilitating, costs the NHS billions and robs children of the best possible start in life, setting them up for a lifetime of health problems.

‘This Government is committed to tackling the obesity crisis head on, shifting our focus from treatment to prevention as part of our 10-Year Health Plan.

‘We’ve already announced plans to ban junk food adverts on TV and online. We have also given local authorities stronger powers to block applications for unhealthy takeaways near schools and stop fast food giants targeting pupils.’