Highlights

Men and women

• Around a quarter of adults, 24% of men and 25% of women, were obese, including morbidly obese.
• Despite 67% of men being overweight or obese, around half, 52%, felt that they were about the right weight.  
• While fewer women than men were overweight or obese, they were more likely than men to say that they were too heavy and that they were trying to lose weight . 

Age

• Obesity was strongly related to age, rising from 12% of men and 14% of women aged 16-24, to 33% of men and women aged 65-74, before falling again to 19% of men and 18% of women aged 85 and over. 

Impact on health

• As a result of their BMI and waist circumference, 22% of men and 24% of women had a very high health risk.  
• The prevalence of hypertension doubled from 21% of men and 18% of women of normal weight to 43% of obese men and 38% of obese women.
• Self-reported bad or very bad health was higher among obese people, 7% of men and 11% of women, than those of a normal weight, 4% of men and women.  
• Psychological disturbance or mental ill health was more common in obese men, 13%, and obese women, 21%, than those who were of normal weight.

Regional difference

• Prevalence of overweight including obesity varied between regions, and was notably lower in London than other regions of the country.