How more weight-loss jabs could save the country £53 billion a year

Business & FinanceHealth & Fitness
25 Aug 2025 • 8:02 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • The UK's obesity crisis costs £107 billion annually, with NHS spending on obesity-related illnesses projected to reach £11.4 billion by 2025.
  • Over one in four UK adults are now obese, a figure that has doubled since the 1990s, with the UK having higher rates than most European countries.
  • Obesity significantly impacts the economy, leading to £24 billion in lost productivity each year due to unemployment, sick days, and early deaths.
  • Experts suggest that expanding the provision of weight-loss jabs to an additional 150,000 people, combined with policy changes on how unhealthy food is sold in supermarkets, could save the UK around £53 billion annually.
  • Obesity rates are disproportionately higher in deprived areas and among certain demographic groups, with unhealthy food often being more affordable.

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