Obesity Crisis: England's Fattest Areas Revealed

New estimates have pinpointed England's neighborhoods with the highest obesity rates, revealing significant disparities across the country. Paulsgrove East in Portsmouth stands out with 27.7% of adults classified as obese, marking the highest figure nationally. This data, broken down into small areas averaging 8,000 people, shows that one in five residents are obese in 296 such neighborhoods.

Conversely, areas like Fitzrovia East in London's Camden borough recorded the lowest obesity rates, at just 3.6%. The figures, derived from GP practice data on patient BMIs over 30, are acknowledged by the House of Commons Library as an underestimation of the true prevalence. Official statistics indicate 28% of adults in England were obese in 2022, with rates having doubled since the early 1990s.

In an effort to combat this growing public health challenge, the government introduced new anti-obesity measures in October. These include outlawing 'buy one, get one free' deals on junk food and restricting sugary drink promotions. Further measures planned for January will ban online advertising for unhealthy foods and limit TV ads before 9 pm, aiming to reduce the £6.5 billion annual cost to the NHS.