HOW COMMON IS OBESITY?

Obesity and overweight are becoming increasingly common.

In the UK, 44% of adult males and 32% of females are overweight (BMI > 25 kg/M2) and 13.5% of men and 17% of women are obese (BMI > 30 kg/M2).

It is estimated that in the UK, 1 in 5 men and 1 in 4 women will be obese by the year 2005. Only 5% of 20-year-olds are obese, compared to more than 20% of those aged over 60. This is because excess fat is more easily gained after the age of 35 as so-called middle-age spread.