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- What is happening now...
- How this compares with the past...
- What we know or predict about the future...
- What people have said...
- Knowledge gaps...
Please note: We had considered merging this topic with our detailed assessment of healthy lifestyles, to reduce weight stigma and harms associated with dieting and eating disorders. We have decided to keep the topics separate for now because the extent of the data on obesity is vast.
Obesity reduces life expectancy by an average of 3 to 10 years, depending on how severe it is. It is estimated that obesity and being overweight contribute to at least 1 in every 13 deaths in Europe.[1]
Obesity tends to be a socially unequal health issue, affecting lower socio-economic groups disproportionately. If it is not challenged it will increase health inequalities.
As well as causing physical changes to the body which affect general fitness and mobility, being obese or overweight increases the likelihood of suffering from life threatening illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, some cancers (for example breast and bowel cancer), asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and strokes. Obesity can also affect quality of life and lead to psychological problems, such as depression and low self-esteem. This all leads to increased pressure on health and care services.
The fact that the trend is towards increased obesity despite years of active and prominent healthy lifestyle promotion is very worrying.
Our life expectancy as a population has remained static in recent years and obesity-related illnesses and death, linked to poor diets and sedentary lifestyles continue to increase at an alarming rate. If current trends continue, more people in Wales will die prematurely due to cancer, heart disease, liver disease and diabetes. More lives will be adversely affected by disability, ill-health and mental health.[2] Research has suggested that being overweight or obese in childhood is linked to immediate and long-term physical and mental health risks. Mental health risks can arise from body dissatisfaction, social discrimination, low self-esteem and low quality of life. Obese children rate their personal well-being low, because of problems such as bullying at school, fatigue and difficulties in doing physical activities.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important to avoid a wide range of health problems associated with excess weight. In children, the persistence of obesity in adulthood is the most important concern. The risk increases with age and according to the severity of obesity.
One in four of 4-5 year olds (9,000 children) in Wales start school each year overweight or obese. Levels of childhood obesity are worse in the most deprived communities and severe obesity continues to rise in children. This trend increases during adolescence and continues into adulthood, with nearly 60% (about 1.5 million adults) who are overweight or obese. It is estimated that unless measures are taken to act now, 64% of the adult population will be overweight or obese by 2030.[3] The UK Government’s Foresight Programme suggested that 25% of all children under 16 could be obese by 2050.
During 2018 to 2019,
- 29.7% of 4-5 year old children in Conwy County Borough were found to be obese or over weight. This is higher than the all-Wales percentage of 26.9% (England: 21.9%). Of these, 11.8% of all children were obese and (17.9%) were overweight but not obese. (Wales: 12.6% obese, 14.4% overweight but not obese).
- 28.2% of 4-5 year old children in Denbighshire were found to be obese or over weight. This was higher than the all-Wales percentage of 26.9%. Of these, (13.5% of all children) were obese (14.7%) were overweight but not obese.[4]
- Boys aged 4-5 in both Conwy County Borough and Denbighshire are more likely to be obese or overweight than girls of the same age.
- Across Wales, 15.2% of 4-5 year olds living in the most deprived areas were obese compared to 8.3% living in the least deprived areas.
Adult obesity is also an increasingly common problem because for many people, modern living involves eating excessive amounts of cheap, high-calorie food and spending a lot of time sitting down, at desks, on sofas or in cars.
- 49.9% of adults in Conwy and 52.2% in Denbighshire report being overweight or obese.[5] This compares to 59.9% as a Welsh average).
- Of these, 19.8% were obese in Conwy County Borough and 21.6% were obese in Denbighshire. (Wales = 24.1% obese).[6]
[1] http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Obesity/Pages/Introduction.aspx
[2] Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales. This strategy uses the five ways of working from the Wellbeing of Future Generations as guiding principles
[3] Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales
[4] Childhood Measurement programme for Wales 2018/19
[5] Produced by Public Health Wales Observatory, using Welsh Health Survey (Welsh Government).
[6] National Survey for Wales 2019-20
In terms of the trend of overweight or obesity over the previous 7 years for children 4-5 years between 2012 and 2019 in Denbighshire, a gradual decline has been experienced between 2012 2015 with a gradual increase between the years 2014 and 2017, followed by a sharp increase in 2017 and 2018 then a decline in 2018 and 2019. The rate in Denbighshire is higher than the Wales trend over the 7 years.
In terms of the trend of overweight or obese 4-5 year olds over the previous 7 years, in Conwy, there was a gradual increase experienced between 2013 and 2017 and a slight decline between the years 2017 and 2019. The rate in Conwy was lower than the Wales average between 2012/13-2014/15 and higher than the Wales average between 2016/17 and 2018/19.
The adult overweight and obesity rate decreased in Denbighshire between 2016 and 2019 but has increased in the period to 2019 and 2020. This trend is lower than both the Wales and BCUHB average.
The adult overweight and obesity rate in Conwy between 2016 and 2020 has remained steady over the period with no fluctuations. The trend is lower than both the Wales and BCUHB average.
The impact of Covid-19 has had a negative impact on the determinants of health and well-being including an increase in health harming behaviours such as snacking and an increase in alcohol consumption which can result in gaining weight.[1] Data to reflect this will be captured by The National Survey for Wales 2020/2021 report.
[1] HIA of the Staying at Home and Social Distancing Policy in Wales
Our life expectancy as a population has remained static in recent years and obesity-related illnesses and death, linked to poor diets and sedentary lifestyles continue to increase at an alarming rate. If current trends continue, more people in Wales will die prematurely due to cancer, heart disease, liver disease and diabetes. More lives will be adversely affected by disability, ill-health and mental health.[1] Research has suggested that being overweight or obese in childhood is linked to immediate and long-term physical (see our ‘life expectancy‘ topic for further information) and mental health risks. Mental health risks can arise from body dissatisfaction, social discrimination, low self-esteem and low quality of life. Obese children rate their personal well-being low, because of problems such as bullying at school, fatigue and difficulties in doing physical activities.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important to avoid a wide range of health problems associated with excess weight. In children, the persistence of obesity in adulthood is the most important concern. The risk increases with age and according to the severity of obesity.
[1] Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales. This strategy uses the five ways of working from the Wellbeing of Future Generations as guiding principles
The need to support healthy lifestyles was raised as a concern for people locally, particularly in respect of tackling obesity, through increased leisure opportunities, partnership working and by building on our active travel network (see our ‘transport‘ topic for further information).
People are concerned about child poverty, and the extent to which the public sector is working to improve the quality of life for people and children in poverty. People also want to ensure we ask those living in deprived areas to find out what they feel would improve their lives.
Homelessness is seen as a factor in deprivation and so too housing quality. Poor housing has been highlighted by people as having a causal relationship with lower life expectancy.
People would like to see more investment in factors that support young people’s well-being:
- Investment in activities for young people e.g. community projects, young people’s exercise classes, youth clubs (so young people have a place to go e.g. make them more attractive with better activities, more publicity so young people know about them)
- Support to improve young people’s mental health, specifically following the Covid-19 pandemic
- Leisure centre and facility improvements to attract young people e.g. better clubs, classes that are well publicised and targeted to young people.
This topic does not yet give due consideration to the climate and ecological change needed (mitigation and adaptation).
