Two thirds of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity, latest Health Survey for England data shows.
The 2024 Health Survey for England (HSE), the country’s flagship study tracking population health for more than three decades, shows that levels of overweight and obesity remain persistently high. In 2024, two thirds of adults were overweight or living with obesity, while seven in ten were found to have a waist circumference that was more than half their height (a waist-to-height ratio above 0.5). A waist-to-height ratio above 0.5 increases the risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and highlights health risks not fully captured by BMI alone.
Now in its 33rd year, the HSE provides a uniquely detailed and consistent picture of the health of people living in private households across England. Commissioned by NHS England and delivered by the National Centre for Social Research in partnership with University College London, the survey remains the most authoritative dataset for monitoring long-term trends in obesity, lifestyle behaviours and health risk factors in England.
Key findings on obesity among adults in England
- 30% of adults were living with obesity in 2024.
- 66% were overweight or living with obesity.
- 70% of adults had increased central adiposity based on a waist-to-height ratio above 0.5, an indicator of health risks linked to fat carried around the abdomen.
- 28% had particularly high central adiposity (based on a waist-to-height ratio above 0.6)
- Increased central adiposity (a waist-to-height ratio above 0.5) affected adults across different BMI categories:
- 29% of adults with a healthy BMI
- 89% of those who were overweight
- 99% of those living with obesity
The central adiposity measure through waist-to-height ratios identifies additional adults at increased metabolic risk who may not be captured by BMI categories alone.
Other findings from the 2024 survey
- Smoking and vaping: For the first time, the prevalence of e-cigarette use among adults (10%) was on a par with cigarette smoking (11%).
- Children’s smoking and vaping: 2% of children aged 8–15 had ever smoked a cigarette (down from 19% in 1997). 9% had ever used an e-cigarette.
- Children’s alcohol use: 16% of children aged 8–15 had ever had a proper alcoholic drink.
- Children’s overweight and obesity: 15% of children aged 2 to 15 were living with obesity, 26% were either overweight or living with obesity.
- Children’s overweight and obesity: Among children aged 11 to 15, levels of obesity in the most deprived areas were more than three times higher than in the least deprived areas (30% compared with 8%).
- Physical activity: 27% of adults were inactive, doing less than 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity per week.
- Longstanding illness: 46% of adults had at least one longstanding illness or condition.
- Cardiometabolic risks: 48% of adults had raised cholesterol; 30% had hypertension; 9% were living with diabetes.
- Chronic pain: 26% of adults had chronic pain, experiencing pain most days or every day within the last three months. 13% had high impact chronic pain (pain that interfered with their life or work activities most days or every day).
- Loneliness: Younger adults were more likely than older adults to feel lonely at least some of the time (29% among those aged16–24 compared with 15% among those aged 65–74).
- Older adults: Among adults aged 65 and over, 13% received help with at least one Activity of Daily Living and 19% with an Instrumental Activity of Daily Living in the past month, with women more likely than men to receive help.
Mari Toomse-Smith, Director of the Health and Biomedical Surveys team at the National Centre for Social Research, said:
“The Health Survey for England is the only source of nationally representative, annually collected objective measurements of height and weight, and therefore the only dataset that provides a continuous, robust BMI time series for England.
“As the use of weight loss drugs expands rapidly, having reliable, measured BMI data is more important than ever for understanding how population level patterns of excess weight are changing over time. The consistency and quality of HSE data ensure that policymakers, clinicians and researchers can track these trends with confidence.”
Dr Linda Ng Fat, Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL, said:
“A waist-to-height ratio above the recommended threshold is a powerful indicator of excess abdominal fat, which we know is closely linked to serious health risks such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
“It is concerning that even among adults with a healthy weight, nearly three in ten had excess abdominal fat. These findings highlight the need to look beyond BMI alone when assessing metabolic risk.
“By following the simple message of ’keeping your waist to less than half your height’ people can minimise the health risks of having excess fat around the belly.”
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