45+ facts & statistics about weight loss

Reviewed by Sheena Bagga and Dr Bhavini Shah

LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor shares the latest facts and statistics about obesity, losing weight, and medicated weight loss treatment options that are available. 

According to a new survey from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, more than half of us are worried about our weight. The survey of 500 UK adults found that 46% of people are somewhat worried about their weight, with one in six (16%) reporting that they are very worried about their weight. 

Learn more about the health impacts of obesity and effective weight loss methods options with LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor Independent Prescribing Pharmacist, Sheena Bagga.

Obesity

• The NHS estimates that around one in every four adults and around one in every five children aged 10 to 11 in the UK are living with obesity.
• In 2022 to 2023, 64.0% of adults aged 18 years and over in England were estimated to be overweight or obese with 26.2% of adults estimated to be living with obesity.
• In 2022 to 2023, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was higher among men (69.2%) than women (58.6%), however the prevalence of obesity in adults was similar among men (26.4%) and women (26.2%).
• The prevalence of people being overweight and obese increases with age up to age 64, reaching the peak in the 55 to 64 years group (72.8% and 32.4% respectively).
• Rates of obesity are higher in deprived communities – in England, excess weight rates are about 15% higher in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived. 

“Obesity is a major health problem that affects millions of people worldwide and roughly 14,500,000 adults in the UK. 

“The prevalence has risen significantly over recent decades, with obesity rates nearly doubling since the 90s. This trend corresponds with increasing rates of type 2 diabetes and other weight-related health conditions, placing substantial pressure on NHS resources.” - Sheena Bagga (Independent Prescribing Pharmacist)

Health impacts of obesity

• People living with obesity are nearly twice as likely to have bad mental health.
• A quarter (25%) of people who are either obese or morbidly obese said that their mental health was bad, compared to 15% of people with a weight based on a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI).
• Over half (57%) of those living with obesity feel negative emotions when they look in the mirror compared with a third of those with a healthy weight (33%).
• Women were found to be more likely than men to encounter such feelings of self-consciousness, embarrassment and shame.
• A significant majority of people believe that the media (61%) and general public (67%) make negative judgements about people living with obesity.
• In a survey conducted by Bowel Research UK, only half (47%) of respondents said they would take immediate action if advised to lose weight by a healthcare professional​, however, 80% said they’d try to reduce weight if they knew it would cut their risk of cancer (such as bowel cancer).

“Obesity isn’t just about physical appearance, it can have major impacts on your overall health. 

"Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing numerous chronic conditions. For example, obesity can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and stroke. The excess weight puts additional strain on the heart and blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of these conditions.” - Sheena Bagga (Independent Prescribing Pharmacist)

Losing weight

• More than four in ten (43%) Britons say they are trying to lose weight.
• The NHS’s Digital Weight Management Programme helped 14,268 people lose an average of 3.9kg in twelve weeks. People who didn’t complete the full programme still lost an average of 2.2kg.
• Women are significantly more likely to be trying to lose weight; half are currently working towards this while only 37% of men are trying to do the same.
• Studies involving twins, adopted individuals, and families have shown that about 25% to 40% of the variation in adiposity between people can be attributed to their genetic makeup.
• Research shows that while initial weight loss is achievable, maintaining it is difficult, with one analysis finding that more than half of lost weight is regained within two years, and over 80% within five years​.

​​​​​​​“Shedding excess weight can lead to improved cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke. 

“Weight loss also significantly decreases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and can help manage existing diabetes more effectively. Losing weight can also enhance respiratory function, reducing symptoms of sleep apnea and improving sleep quality.” - Sheena Bagga (Independent Prescribing Pharmacist)

Diet

• In England in 2022 to 2023, 31.0% of adults reported eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. This is less than in 2021 to 2022 when 32.5% of adults reported eating at least 5 portions, and 2020 to 2021 when 34.9% of adults reported eating at least 5 portions.
• Women are more likely than men to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day (34.2% compared with 27.6%). 
• Adults aged 55 and over are more likely to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables (35.3% and higher) than those aged under 55 years old.
• Reducing food intake and exercising more are most likely to be used as ways to lose weight (53% and 52% respectively). 
• Half of British adults are eating healthier but not dieting, while around a quarter are drinking fewer sugary (27%) and alcoholic drinks (25%).
• Men are significantly more likely to cut sugary drinks and alcohol out of their diets, roughly a third use this as a method (35% sugary drinks and 33% alcohol), only around 2 in 10 women would do the same (22% sugary drinks, 19% alcohol).
• Over half of Britons trying to lose weight say they are attempting to reduce the amount of total sugar in their diet to aid their weight loss.
• Almost half (47%) of those trying to lose weight believe calories should be avoided. 
• One in five (20%) have reduced the amount of alcohol they consume while they try to lose weight, but this is seen as more important among those not trying to lose weight (24%).

"A balanced diet is crucial for effective weight management and overall health. 

“Consuming a variety of nutritional foods helps ensure your body gets the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to function optimally. Incorporating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats into your diet can support weight loss and maintenance.” - Sheena Bagga (Independent Prescribing Pharmacist)

Medicated weight loss

LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor surveyed 500 UK adults and found the following:

• 11% of those surveyed were already using some form of medicated weight loss (injection or oral).
• 8% were actively looking to start taking medicated weight loss.
• 16% were interested in starting medicated weight loss but felt they needed more information on the options available to them.
• Six in ten (61%) would consider starting medicated weight loss if they were struggling with obesity.
• Attitudes towards medicated weight loss options are positive overall, with almost three in five (59%) viewing medicated weight loss usage positively.

“Prescription weight management medications represent an important advancement in treating obesity and its associated health complications. These treatments complement lifestyle modifications when diet and exercise alone haven't achieved sufficient results.” - Sheena Bagga (Independent Prescribing Pharmacist)

Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic)

• In 2022, semaglutide became the 48th most prescribed medication in the US, with approximately 13.5 million prescriptions being written for approximately 3.3 million patients.
• In July 2024, Wegovy was also approved in the UK to help lower risk of heart attack and stroke in overweight and obese people with heart or circulatory disease. 
• One study found that participants using Wegovy for 15 months, with professional lifestyle support, lost 15% of their body weight on average. Those with placebo injections and the same support lost only 2.4%. 
• Another study found those taking Wegovy had a 20% lower risk of death from heart and circulatory disease, heart attack or stroke, compared to those taking placebo. 
• One study found that those taking Wegovy had a 20% lower risk of death from heart and circulatory disease, heart attack or stroke, compared to those taking placebo. Just 6.5% of participants in the Wegovy group experienced a heart event versus 8% in the placebo group.
• Since 2020, there has been a 390.6% increase in NHS spending (51% YoY average increase) on Semaglutide prescriptions, a GLP-1 receptor agonist used primarily for type 2 diabetes management and weight loss. This surge reflects the growing demand for medical interventions in obesity treatment and metabolic health. 
• Blackpool, North Lincolnshire, and the Wirral have seen the highest per capita prescriptions for Wegovy on the NHS in the UK.
• In 2024, the NHS spent over £135,000 on semaglutide medication. 

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)

• NICE recommended Mounjaro to be used as a weight loss medication by the NHS in December 2024 for people with a very high BMI and additional health conditions linked to their obesity, such as hypertension.
• In one study, 2,539 overweight or obese adults (without diabetes) took tirzepatide or a placebo for 72 weeks. Those on tirzepatide lost an average of 16% to 22.5% of their body weight, while the placebo group only lost 2.4%. Over 85% of Mounjaro users lost at least 5%, versus only 27.9% with placebo.

Counterfeit weight loss injections

• The MHRA seized 369 potentially fake Ozempic pens between January and October 2023. 
• Lily (the company which manufactures Mounjaro) published an open letter in June 2024 addressing the rise in counterfeit weight loss jabs, sharing advice on how to identify that a product is legitimate, and encouraging people to report suspected fake or unsafe products being sold. 
• The WHO issued a news release in June 2024 which tied increased numbers of fake weight loss injections to a global shortage of products, due to high demand, which occurred in over 2023-2024. 
• In the last 12 months (April 24-25) there have been over 433 UK news articles published on the topic of counterfeit weight loss jabs, as an increasing number of people risk their health.
• According to Google Trends, global searches for ‘fake ozempic have increased by 43% YoY (April 24-25).
• In 2024, the WHO issued a product alert regarding falsified semaglutide being found in the UK, Ireland, the United States, and Brazil in 2023.

Methodology

LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor surveyed 500 UK adults [11/04/2025]. 

Google search statistics accessed March 2025. 

Time series data from OpenPrescribing was extracted for semaglutide which covers costs of prescriptions and total number of prescriptions, costs were worked out from this. 

Local authorities' population data were taken from ONS, and per capita was calculated by number of prescriptions (data from OpenPrescribing) per 1,000 people.

References

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/update-to-the-obesity-profile-on-fingertips/obesity-profile-short-statistical-commentary-may-2024
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/next-epidemic-people-living-obesity-nearly-twice-likely-have-bad-mental-health
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/more-4-10-britons-are-trying-lose-weight-focusing-dieting-and-exercise
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/04/nhs-online-weight-loss-programme-highlighted-as-a-success-in-new-study/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11011954/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5764193/
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/2022-part-1/adults-health-related-behaviours
https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/Drugs/Semaglutide
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/ask-the-experts/wegovy
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2307563
https://openprescribing.net/
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/looking-after-diabetes/treatments/tablets-and-medication/glp-1/mounjaro
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-authorises-diabetes-drug-mounjaro-tirzepatide-for-weight-management-and-weight-loss
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-warns-of-unsafe-fake-weight-loss-pens
https://www.who.int/news/item/20-06-2024-who-issues-warning-on-falsified-medicines-used-for-diabetes-treatment-and-weight-loss
https://muckrack.com/
https://trends.google.com/trends/
https://www.who.int/news/item/19-06-2024-medical-product-alert-n-2-2024--falsified-ozempic-(semaglutide)