The new study to be presented in this year’s European Congress for obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) shows that the percentage of adolescents living with overweight or obesity in England increased by 50%from 2008-2010 (22%) to 2021-2023. The research, presented in two studies, is by Dr Dinesh Giri, Pediatric Endocrinologist, Bristol’s Pediatric Endocrinologist, Bristol University, Bristol, United Kingdom and Dr Senthil Senniappan, Pediatric Endocrinologist, Hey Children’s Hospital Kingdom and colleagues of the United Kingdom.
Previous research has shown that overweight and obesity during adolescence are associated with increased morbidity. In this study, the authors aimed to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in England using systematically collected health care data. They also investigated the correlation between the body mass index of adolescents (BMIs) and the onset of co -existing conditions during adolescence.
The authors used linked primary (clinical practice of Datalink [CPRD]) and secondary (hospital incident statistics) for their analysis. Among adolescents aged 12-17 years recorded in practice contributing to CPRD (about 20% of practices at national level) from 2008-2023 with BMI readings and the use of hundreds of 1990 development reports (a widely used reference to studies of this type). Overweight was defined for or above 91th and obesity as well as above 98th.
The three -year rolling overweight and obesity dominates have been calculated, as they provide more stable estimates and a clearer picture of long -term trends instead of focusing on small annual changes. The authors explain that this helps to smooth any random carpets that can occur in just one year.
Teenagers with a healthy BMI weight, at or above 2nd and below 91th, were included as comparative. The socio -demographic and clinical characteristics for adolescents were described in the first BMI recording. The incidence of new co -hosts (see Figure 1 complete summary) during adolescence was compared between adolescents who lived with overweight or obesity and those with healthy weight using statistical modeling.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity of the period increased from 22% in 2008-2010 to 33% in 2021-2023. There were signs of steeper growth during / after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Between 139,258 adolescents living with overweight, 140,990 with obesity and 560,789 with healthy weight, higher proportions with overweight (26%) or obesity (31%) from healthy weight (22%) inhabited in deprived geographical areas (calculated in 10%).
The highest proportions of those living with overweight (8%) and obesity (27%) had lived with obesity during childhood by those with healthy weight (1%). The new appearance of mental health (obesity: 8.6% versus overweight: 7.8% versus healthy weight: 7.1%), Physics (11.6% versus 10.7% versus 9.3%) and Cardiomatopolics (3.1% versus 1.2% versus 0.5%)
The second study investigated other co -institutions in more detail. Of the 15 co -operatives investigated, the risks of 14 were significantly higher in adolescents living with overweight or obesity compared to those with healthy weight.
In an average follow -up of 6 years, the risk (Figure 1 of the second summary) of many co -institution was higher in adolescents living with overweight (n = 139,258) or obesity (n = 140,990) than those with healthy weight (n = 560,789), especially. obstructive sleep apnea (3 times higher [overweight] and 8 times higher [obesity]), type 2 diabetes (3 and 11 times higher) and metabolic dysfunction of deprivation liver disease (3 and 12 times higher), prediabetes (2 and 4 times higher) and polycystic ovary syndrome (2 and 4 times higher).
The authors conclude: “The burden of overweight and obesity among adolescents in England is significant and increasing between 2008-2023.
They add: “In the last 15 years, obesity in adolescents has increased significantly due to the combination of increased consumption of over-processed foods, the sedentary lifestyles driven by excessive screening, inadequate sleep and the increase in mental health challenges.
Regarding co -hosts, they say: “For many coherence of weight -related, overweight and obesity in adolescence are linked to a higher risk during adolescence and adulthood.
