Brits in one age group are seeing spikes in cases of at least 20%, with three things to blame. Experts have sounded the alarm on a rising obesity crisis affecting people across the UK. The rise in cases has affected younger people the most, as 20% more diagnoses were issued to people in their 30s than in 2019-20.
A study by science researcher, The Lancet found that cases for people in their 20s had jumped by 16%, while older generations also saw increases. Those increases are a little more likely and experts believe the trend to earlier diagnosis of obesity, which can lead to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, has three sources.
Lead researcher Robert Fletcher said the availability of unhealthy foods, takeaways, and fast food outlets is behind the spike in youth obesity. Fletcher said: “They have been surrounded by unhealthy food in their formative years.
“On our high streets there has been a proliferation of takeaways and fast food outlets and unhealthy food has been heavily advertised as these age groups have been growing up.”
The Coronavirus pandemic has also been cited by Fletcher as having an impact on younger age groups. He told the BBC: ” The stress of looking after children, while working from home and then being able to afford healthy food as inflation increased, has made healthier lifestyles more difficult.”
He also said the pandemic followed by the cost of living crisis was likely to have had a bigger impact on younger age groups. The volume of advertisements relating to fast food and high fat alternatives has also been flagged by Association of Directors of Public Health representative Sarah Perman.
She said: “From infancy, children and young people are bombarded with advertising that encourages an unhealthy diet. It is also far cheaper and easier for individuals to consume foods and drinks high in fat, sugar, and salt than healthier alternatives.”
Research by the Food Foundation has found healthy foods are twice as expensive per calorie than unhealthy foods. Katharine Jenner, of the Obesity Health Alliance, said the environment people in their 20s and 30s have grown up with has had a huge influence on “habit-forming behaviours”.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
