Adult overweight and obesity

  • 26% of men and 27% of women in England were obese, and a further 40% of men and 30% of women were overweight. 
  • Women were more likely than men to be trying to lose weight (54% and 39% respectively).

Physical activity in adults

 

  • 66% of men and 58% of women aged 19 and over met the guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week or an equivalent combination of both, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

Well-being and mental health

  • Women were more likely than men to have probable mental ill health (21% of women and 16% of men).
  • Men and women living in more deprived areas had lower well-being scores, on average, than those living in less deprived areas. 

Social care for older adults

  • 24% of men and 31% of women aged 65 and over needed help with at least one Activity of Daily Living.

Prescribed medicines

  •  In 2015/16 48% of adults had taken at least one prescribed medicine (not including contraception or nicotine replacement therapy) in the last week. This increased with age from 19% of young adults aged 16 to 24 to more than 90% of those aged 75 and over.
  • 24% of adults had taken three or more prescribed medicines in the past week. 

Kidney and liver disease

 

  • 2% of adults reported having a chronic kidney disease as diagnosed by a doctor. Older people were more likely to report a doctor-diagnosed chronic kidney disease.
  • 1% of adults reported having doctor-diagnosed chronic liver disease. The prevalence was highest among those aged 55 to 64 (3%).

Adult health trends

  • The proportion of adults with untreated hypertension decreased from 2003 to 2016 for both sexes (20% to 14% among men and 16% to 11% among women).
  • 31% of men and 16% of women drank at a level indicating increased or higher risk of harm (more than 14 units of alcohol per week).
  • 20% of men and 16% of women were current cigarette smokers.

Children’s health

  • 16% of children aged 2 to 15 were obese. This was the same for boys and girls. A further 12% of children were overweight (but not obese).
  • 6% of boys and 3% of girls aged 8 to 15 had ever smoked a cigarette.
  • 15% of children aged 8 to 15 had ever had a proper alcoholic drink (a whole drink, not just a sip).