The British Heart Foundation urges urgent government action to tackle obesity and prevent avoidable deaths

Around 170,000 people in England are expected to die from obesity-related heart and circulatory diseases by 2035 unless action is taken to reverse current trends, according to new analysis by the British Heart Foundation.

The charity estimates that an average of 45 people a day could lose their lives over the next decade because of cardiovascular conditions linked to excess weight and obesity, highlighting what it describes as a growing public health crisis.

Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, the analysis found that 16,156 deaths from cardiovascular disease in England during 2023 were attributable to a high body mass index (BMI). That equates to 28 deaths for every 100,000 people.

The findings underline the significant role obesity plays in the development of heart and circulatory diseases. Carrying excess body weight increases the risk of fatty deposits building up inside arteries, restricting blood flow and making heart attacks and strokes more likely.

According to the charity, approximately one in nine cardiovascular deaths in England each year is linked to excess weight and obesity, illustrating the scale of the challenge facing the healthcare system.

Obesity remains widespread across the United Kingdom. Current estimates indicate that around two in three adults are either overweight or living with obesity. Globally, projections suggest that by 2050, more than half of adults and one-third of children and young people could be overweight or obese if existing trends continue.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths warned that the country risks allowing the obesity epidemic to worsen without stronger intervention.

She said obesity is one of the biggest drivers of cardiovascular disease and cautioned that thousands of families could lose loved ones unnecessarily over the coming decade if meaningful action is delayed.

Griffiths stressed that the projected deaths are preventable and urged the UK government to accelerate plans aimed at improving the nation’s diet and reducing obesity levels. She said commitments to deliver a “healthy food revolution” must now be translated into concrete policies capable of reducing the number of heart attacks and strokes.

The analysis also highlights significant regional differences across England. The North East has the highest proportion of adults living with obesity, with around 36% of the adult population affected. The West Midlands follows at approximately 34%, while London records the lowest obesity rate at just over 21%.

The findings have prompted renewed calls from public health campaigners for stronger measures to improve the nutritional quality of food sold by businesses.

Obesity Health Alliance Executive Director Katharine Jenner said the latest projections should serve as a reminder of the urgent need for government action.

She argued that stronger targets requiring food businesses to improve the healthiness of their products would help reduce diet-related diseases across the population while giving more families the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives.

Jenner also called for the publication of the government’s planned consultation on mandatory health reporting and urged ministers to introduce legislation supporting healthy food standards during the current Parliament.

Responding to the report, the Department of Health and Social Care said cardiovascular disease remains one of the country’s leading causes of death and acknowledged obesity as a major contributing factor.

The department said it is expanding access to weight-loss medicines, introducing measures requiring large businesses to report on the nutritional quality of the food they sell and developing new targets aimed at improving healthier food choices.

Officials also said efforts are continuing to strengthen prevention programmes, improve the early diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and identify individuals at greatest risk so they receive timely care.

The British Heart Foundation believes that decisive action over the coming years could significantly reduce the number of preventable deaths linked to obesity. Without stronger intervention, however, the charity warns that obesity-related cardiovascular disease will continue placing increasing pressure on families, healthcare services and the wider public health system.