New white paper calls for urgent action to reverse UK obesity epidemic
9 October 2025
HPP worked in partnership with Numan to develop a white paper calling for bold, coordinated action to reverse rising obesity rates in the UK. Launched at a panel event at the Labour Party Conference on 29 September, the white paper outlines policy recommendations that can support the government in turning the tide on obesity levels.
In the UK, obesity remains one of the most pressing health and economic challenges. Around one in four adults live with obesity, a condition which is contributing to higher rates of chronic disease and costing the economy an estimated £126 billion each year. Despite numerous strategies to address it over recent decades, progress has been slow and rates continue to rise.
The white paper comes at a pivotal moment for the UK, with emerging opportunities to reverse obesity trends. Advances in treatment, the availability of digital technologies and a deeper understanding of genetic factors offer promising avenues for more targeted and effective strategies in both prevention and long-term weight management. Coupled with renewed political momentum, these developments present a critical opportunity that must be fully leveraged to improve national efforts to tackle obesity.
To support this, the white paper outlines several priority actions for policymakers, which, if carried out, could restore obesity rates to levels not seen since the early-2000s. These include scaling up innovative public–private partnerships, formally recognising obesity as a disease to help address stigma, improving regulatory collaboration, promoting cross-departmental policymaking, strengthening data collection, and revitalising a whole-system approach to tackling obesity.
As the UK faces mounting pressures on its health system, the white paper offers a timely and actionable framework to achieve lasting change in one of its most resource-heavy areas. HPP and Numan urge stakeholders across sectors to seize this opportunity to not only improve population health but also strengthen the UK’s economic resilience.
Read the policy white paper
For more information, visit the project page.
