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Statistics on ObesityObesity is when a person is carrying too much body fat for their height and sex. Today’s way of life is less physically active than it used to be. People travel on buses and cars, rather than walking, and many people work in offices, where they are sitting still for most of the day. This means that the calories they eat are not getting burnt off as energy. Instead, the extra calories are stored as fat. In 2008, the latest year with available figures, nearly a quarter of adults (over 16 years of age) in England were obese (had a BMI over 30). Just under a third of women, 32%, were overweight (a BMI of 25-30), and 42% of men were overweight. Amongst children (2-15 years of age), one in six boys and one in seven girls in England were obese in 2008. The number of overweight children was also around one in seven. Obesity can cause a number of health problems, such as type 2 diabetes (a condition caused by too much glucose in the blood), and heart disease (when the heart’s blood supply is blocked). Being overweight or obese can also shorten life expectancy (how long a person should live). In obese adults over 40 years of age, obesity can shorten life expectancy by 6-7 years. Obesity is treated by losing weight, which can be achieved through a healthy, calorie-controlled diet and increased exercise. As many as 30,000 people die prematurely every year from obesity-related conditions. A study by the National Audit Office estimates that obesity costs the NHS at least £500m a year - and the wider economy more than £2bn a year in lost productivity. The problem is growing rapidly. Experts predict that if the current rate of growth continues, three-quarters of the population could suffer the ill effects of excess weight within 10 to 15 years. Some experts believe obesity is responsible for more ill health than smoking. Being significantly overweight is linked to a wide range of health problems, including: Diabetes Heart disease High blood pressure Arthritis Indigestion Gallstones Some cancers (eg, breast and prostate cancers) Snoring and sleep apnoea Stress, anxiety, and depression Infertility Change4Life is England’s first ever national social marketing campaign to promote heathly weight. It aims to prevent people from becoming overweight by encouraging them to eat well, move more and live longer.