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Obesity cases rising fastest in young adults
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- New obesity diagnoses among people in their 30s increased nearly 20% from 2019-20 to 2024-25, with a 16% rise in those in their 20s, surpassing increases seen in older age groups.
- Earlier onset of obesity was more common in non-white populations and in areas with higher deprivation, highlighting persistent ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.
- Experts link the rise in younger adults to prolonged exposure to unhealthy food environments during formative years, exacerbated by the pandemic and cost of living crisis impacting lifestyle choices.
- The dominance of cheaper, unhealthy food options and digital influences such as food apps and social media are contributing to habit-forming behaviors related to obesity in younger age groups.
- Analysis of 55 million NHS patient records showed new obesity cases fell among those aged 60-79, potentially due to greater access to weight loss drugs in these older populations.
