More than a third of adults are obese in Darlington and County Durham, data reveals
More than a third of adults in Darlington and County Durham are now classed as obese as the figures continue to rise, new data has shown.
According to figures released by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, both areas are showing a continuing rise in the levels of obesity amongst adults.
The latest statistics from the Sport England Active Lives Adult Survey for 2023/24 show that in Darlington, 34.2% of adults are now living with obesity- up from 30.8% in 2021/22.
In County Durham, the rate stands at 33.5%, an increase from 32.6% the previous year.
These numbers put both Darlington and County Durham significantly above the national average and among the 44 local authorities in England where more than one in three adults are obese.
The figures reflect a growing national trend, but the increases in the North East are particularly sharp.
Darlington, in particular, has seen one of the steepest increases in the country, up by 3.4 percentage points in just two years.
The OHID data is based on a rolling survey conducted by Sport England, which gathers information on physical activity, health behaviours and lifestyle habits across the country.
The findings underscore growing concerns about the public health impact of obesity, which is linked to a higher risk of serious conditions including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Health experts say the rise in obesity is being fuelled by a combination of unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles and the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted exercise routines and access to healthy food for many communities.
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A Department of Health & Social Care spokesperson said: 'This Government has already taken action to tackle the obesity crisis by stopping junk food ads being targeted at children across TV and online, which will reduce the number of people living with obesity by 20,000 and deliver health benefits to the economy worth £2 billion.
'We've also given local authorities stronger powers to block applications for new takeaways near schools and we are commissioning research to improve the evidence on the health impacts of ultra processed foods.
'Through our Plan for Change, we will shift the focus from sickness to prevention, reducing the burden of obesity on public services and the NHS.'
All the data used by the OHID to compile the estimates is based on height and weight that has been self-reported by the survey's participants, which has then been adjusted to more accurately predict figures that would have been measured by a health professional.
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