Obesity in the United Kingdom is a growing health concern with health officials stating that it is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United Kingdom. According to Forbes, United Kingdom ranks 28 on a 2009 list of fattest countries.[1]
Adult obesity rates have almost quadrupled in the last 25 years, with 22% of Britons now obese.[2] Poor Britons are more likely to be obese than their wealthy fellow citizens.[3] The South-East of England is considered to be the slimmest region in the United Kingdom with an obesity level of 18% which compared to Sweden’s fattest region has 16% of its population obese.[4] Birmingham is considered the European Union’s fattest city. 29% of the adult population are classified as obese while the European average is 14%.[4] A quarter of Birmingham's 11 and 12 year olds are considered obese.[4]
The National Obesity Forum in 2011 cited Denmark's tax on foods containing more than 2.3% saturated fat as an example which must be followed.[5]
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An unhealthy diet has been cited as a cause of obesity in the United Kingdom.[6] The main reasons for the unhealthy diet is from the amount of pre-prepared food the British people eat, the lack of fruit and vegetables in the British diet and binge drinking culture.[6]
British sperm quality has been affected by obesity.[7][8]
Annual survey, conducted by Men's Fitness magazine.
City | Obesity Rank 2006 | Obesity Rank 2005 |
---|---|---|
Bradford | 1 | 4 |
Liverpool | 2 | 3 |
Manchester | 3 | 1 |
Newcastle | 4 | 2 |
Glasgow | 5 | 5 |
Birmingham | 6 | 14 |
Wolverhampton | 7 | 8 |
Sheffield | 8 | 9 |
Stoke-on-Trent | 9 | 6 |
Leeds | 10 | 12 |
Edinburgh | 11 | 10 |
Swansea | 12 | 7 |
Coventry | 13 | 16 |
Leicester | 14 | 18 |
Plymouth | 15 | 11 |
Derby | 16 | 19 |
Nottingham | 17 | 16 |
Cardiff | 18 | 21 |
Bristol | 19 | 15 |
London | 20 | 22 |
Southampton | 21 | 12 |
The obesity rate of the United Kingdom's adult population is 22% while the average obesity rate in the European Union is 15.5%.[6]
Country | Average weight | BMI | Daily Calorie Intake | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 12 st 9 lb | 29 | 2,200 | [6] |
Italy | 11 st 9 lb | 26 | 2,100 | |
France | 10 st 9 lb | 24 | 2,200 | |
Germany | 11 st 8 lb | 26 | 2,400 |
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