Surge in hospital admissions for obesity

The number of people admitted to hospital for obesity shot up almost 60% last year while the number having weight-loss surgery rose 55%, figures showed today.

There were 5,020 admissions with a primary diagnosis of obesity in 2007/08 but this rose to 7,990 in 2008/09 (a 59% rise), the data for England revealed.

The 2008/09 figure is more than eight times higher than the 950 admissions recorded in 1998/9.

The NHS Information Centre also revealed a rise in the number of people undergoing weight-loss surgery, such as stomach stapling or having a gastric band fitted.

NHS cases more than doubled between 2006/07 and 2008/09, from 1,950 procedures to 4,220.

The 2008/09 figure is up 55% on the 2,724 operations carried out in 2007/08.

Previously published data on the number of prescriptions for obesity show there were 1.28 million items dispensed in 2008 - 10 times higher than the 1999 figure of 127,000.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: "This report highlights the impact of obesity not just on society, but on the NHS.

"The figures show a clear rise in hospital admissions, surgical procedures and drug therapies to help people tackle their obesity."

Tam Fry, board member of the National Obesity Forum, said: "These statistics not only show how severe the UK's adult obesity problem is but also how the cost of surgery could ultimately cripple the NHS unless we do something serious about prevention.

"Yesterday's report from the Food Standards Agency illustrates how measures to get our teenagers to eat properly aren't working - and they will be adding to the problem within the decade."