Obesity and Society

Released on: November 5, 2009, 8:00 am
Author: The Hospital Group
Industry: Healthcare

Obese and overweight people are forecast to cost the nation £50 billion – half the NHS budget for a year – by 2050 if the trend continues unchecked, with diabetes the biggest draw on these figures.*

The NHS spends an estimated £600m a year on treating diabetes – the largest in primary care – and tackling obesity levels in Britain could save an estimate £950 per person each year. **

As well as drug spend, hospital admissions for Britans with problems caused by weight-related diabetes also doubled, from 7,000 in 2003-04 to 14,320 in 2007-08. **

In five years, the total numbers of people admitted to hospital as a direct result of obesity rose by 190 per cent, with 5,056 admissions in 2007-08. **

Leading dietitian and Head of Weight Management Services at The Hospital Group, Cirian Marie-Beddoes, said: “Barely a day passes without the cost of obesity on the NHS being mentioned. It’s a very real fact that as well needing to tackle obesity on a personal level, the nation’s obese must consider what a huge drain their weight-induced health problems are on the NHS.

“Having spent nine years working in obesity in the NHS, I feel that the only way to curb the epidemic is with the support of private healthcare, such as gastric band surgery at The Hospital Group.”

A report on the matter produced these key findings:

• Awareness of the problem is not low. †
• 49% of those questioned blamed their poor diet for their size. †
• 63% blamed a lack of exercise. †
• Stress was blamed by 20% of those questioned. †
• 14% blamed their genes and the same percentage said that they were too busy to do anything about their weight. †
• Giving up smoking, large breasts, beer and ‘emptiness’ were also accredited. †

A separate survey revealed that some overweight people believe their weight has affected their careers. The following are some interesting comments that came from this survey:

“I think it’s natural that people have less respect for you if you are overweight.”

“Some people look upon overweight people negatively in that they feel they cannot control how they eat, which may reflect in working life.”

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2056 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th-7th October 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

OnePoll questioned 4000 adults between 19-21 October 2009. The survey was carried out online and the panel used was aged 16+ and nationally representative.

∆You Gov
†One Poll
*Change4Life campaign
** Liberal Democrat figures

For more information, key case studies or expert comment, please contact:
Felicity Cross or Lucy Kemp
felicitycross@seal.uk.com lucykemp@seal.uk.com or 0121 616 5800