Obesity is rising fastest among younger adults in England, according to new research highlighted by The BMJ, adding urgency to calls for stronger prevention efforts as health leaders continue to expand weight-management support.
The analysis drew on electronic health records from more than 54 million adults in England between 2019 and 2025 and found that inequalities in obesity rates have widened since the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reported that new obesity cases, defined as a body mass index of at least 30, rose from 26.3% of adults in November 2019 to 30.3% in April 2025.
Fastest increases seen in younger and disadvantaged groups
The researchers said the steepest increases were seen among younger adults and people from more disadvantaged groups. The findings also showed variation by age, sex, socioeconomic status and ethnicity, underscoring that obesity is not affecting all communities equally.
According to the BMJ report, ministers are increasingly turning to weight-loss drugs such as GLP-1 medicines as part of the UK response to obesity. But the study authors warned that relying only on lifelong drug therapy would not be enough, or sustainable, to address the scale of the problem. Instead, they called for urgent preventive action focused on the social and economic drivers of obesity.
NHS prevention plans add context to the warning
The findings come as NHS England says its 2026/27 to 2028/29 planning framework aims to shift the health service further toward prevention, including better support for obesity management and wider access to treatment. The framework says the NHS should make demonstrable progress in new obesity service models, including access to weight-loss medications and specialist provision.
NHS advice on healthy living continues to emphasise balanced eating, physical activity, healthy weight, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol. The service also points people to its Better Health resources for support with making lifestyle changes.
A prevention challenge that reaches beyond the clinic
The BMJ study suggests the obesity problem is deepening even as treatment options expand, leaving public health leaders with a familiar but difficult task: combining medical support with earlier intervention in everyday life. For younger adults in particular, the data indicate that the greatest gains may come from prevention strategies that reduce risk before weight-related illness becomes established.
As the NHS broadens access to support and new treatments, the latest evidence indicates that the most effective response will need to be wider than the prescription pad. The challenge now is whether services, communities and policymakers can act quickly enough to slow the rise before it becomes even harder to reverse.
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