Obesity in adults

Obesity estimates from the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) as measured by body mass index (BMI) (see measurement section) show that in 2020 for adults aged 16 years and over: 

• A Majority percentage of the Scottish population (16+ years old) are within the overweight and obese category; Over a third, 35%, being categorised as obese & 28% in the overweight category.
  

• There is a higher prevalence of overweight including obesity in men than in women: 38% of men comparatively to 31% of women. 
  

• Mean BMI across all adults was 27.7 kg/m2 . There was no significant difference in mean BMI between Genders (men = 27.5 kg/m2 & women = 27.8 kg/m2 ) (SHeS, 2020)
  

• The highest mean BMI of 28.8 kg/m 2 is found in those within the 45 – 64-year age group (chart 1).
  

• Prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was greater in those 45 years and older – ranging from 66%-77% (chart 1).
  

Covid19 has deleterious effects on the populations weight during lockdown, through a negative impact on physical activity and dieaty consumption.

• 39% of adults stated they had gained weight since the beginning of lockdown (from 23rd of March 2022) – with a greater prevalence of women reporting an increase (43%) than in men (34%).

Health risk associated with obesity can be calculated through combination use of BMI and waist circumference, as outlined by the world Health Organisation (WHO) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN): - 

• In 2018/2019, women were more likely than men to have at least an increased health risk based on their BMI and waist circumference (68% of women compared to 62% of men). The prevalence of increased health risk rose with age for both men and women.
  

• The most likely to be at ‘increased health risk or above’ for men are those aged 65-74 (80%) while for women, it was those aged 65 and over (80%). (SHeS, 2019) 

Trend data  since 1995, is available through the Scottish Health Diet and healthy weight: monitoring report 2020 for those aged 16+ show that:

• Obesity trends have increased dramatically between 1995 -2008 in 16 – 64-year-olds (data for ages exceeding this unavailable in 1995 – 2003) with the prevalence increasing from 17% to 26% of the population. Thereafter fluctuating between 26% and 28% until to 2019. For all adults (16+ years), a sharp rise occurred in obesity prevalence from 24% in 2003 to 28% in 2009, thereafter fluctuating until reaching 28% in 2019 (chart 2).

Obesity levels for NHS Boards are also available for those aged 16 and above from the Scottish Health Survey for the combined survey years 2012-2015. There is considerable variation across the NHS Boards, which are also compared to the Scottish average.