Obesity Prescription Numbers Pass One Million After Eightfold Increase In Eight Years, UK

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 01 Feb 2008 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

More than one million NHS prescription items were dispensed to treat obesity in England in 2006 - eight times the number dispensed in 1999.

The number of items dispensed in primary care was 1.06 million in 2006, compared to 127,000 in 1999, a report for The Information Centre for health and social care (The IC) shows today (31 January 2008).

The majority of these were for two drugs; Sibutramine and Orlistat. Sibutramine alters chemical messages to the brain that control feelings and thoughts about food, while the other, Orlistat, prevents some fat absorption in the intestine.

The findings come from a compendium of statistics on obesity, physical activity and diet, published today alongside the Health Survey for England 2006. The survey monitors national trends in areas like obesity, fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity, and this year focused on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors.

Figures show obesity in children aged two to 15 increased overall from 11 per cent in 1995 to 16 per cent in 2006. However the proportion of obese girls aged two to 15 fell from 18 per cent in 2005 to 15 per cent in 2006. Future years' data will show whether these changes are part of a downward trend.

In 2006, more than one in ten adults aged 16 and over said they were diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease, such as coronary heart disease or angina.

Based on both waist circumference and BMI (Body Mass Index) measurements, more than one in five of all men (21 per cent) and nearly a quarter of all women (23 per cent) are at very high risk of developing health problems such as CVD, the main cause of death in England.

Other key findings from the Health Survey for England and the compendium on obesity, physical activity and diet are:

People on low incomes are most likely to have cardiovascular disease, low levels of fruit and vegetable consumption or low levels of physical activity, while men on high incomes are most likely to be overweight (but not obese).

An increased number of adults achieved government recommended levels of physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption in 2006. Figures show 28 per cent of women and 40 per cent of men took part in at least 30 minutes of activity at least five days a week (compared to 21 per cent and 32 per cent respectively in 1997). Meanwhile among men, the proportion consuming five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day rose from 23% in 2004 to 28% in 2006. The equivalent increase for women was from 27% to 32%.

In 2006, 19 per cent of boys and 22 per cent of girls aged five to 15 said they ate five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day, compared to 13 per cent and 12 per cent respectively in 2004.

Meanwhile 70 per cent of boys and 59 per cent of girls aged two to 15 said they took part in 60 minutes or more of physical activity on all seven days of the previous week - a very similar level to 2002.

Tim Straughan, Chief Executive of The IC, said: "Now in its sixteenth year, The Health Survey for England offers a vital insight into the nation's health. Information such as the large rise in obesity prescriptions paints an indicative picture of the population today and will help policy makers and healthcare professionals plan for tomorrow."

A full version of the Health Survey for England 2006 is here.

A full version of Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet 2006 is here.

A full version of the Health Survey for England 2006 updated trend tables are here.

The Information Centre (The IC) is England's authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with more than 300 health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researchers, regulators and policymakers in their work.

The IC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.

The Health Survey for England (HSE) is an annual survey, monitoring the health of the population. The National Centre for Social Research is commissioned by the Information Centre (the IC) to carry out the survey. Each survey consists of core questions and measurements, plus modules of questions on specific issues that change periodically. The primary focus of the 2006 HSE report is cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. The report investigates associated lifestyle factors such as physical activity, diet, smoking and drinking, and also focuses on inequalities. The health of both adults and children are covered by the reports. Trend tables are also published each year updating key trends on a number of health areas.

Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England January 2008 presents a range of information on obesity, physical activity and diet, from a variety of sources. The topics include overweight and obesity prevalence and physical activity levels among adults and children, trends in purchases and consumption of food and drink, and energy intake and health outcomes of being obese.

Have your say - contribute to a review of The IC's population based surveys, which cover a diverse range of topics such as obesity and cardio-vascular disease, at http://www.ic.nhs.uk/srpconsultation

http://www.ic.nhs.uk