Being overweight or obese increases the risk of illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, as well as some forms of cancer.

 

In the United Kingdom, obesity and a BMI of 30 to 35 has been found to reduce life expectancy by an average of three years, while a BMI of over 40 reduced longevity by eight to 10 years.

 

The Health Survey for England 2016 estimates that 26.2% of adults in England are obese and a further 35.2% are overweight but not obese.

 

Obesity is usually defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above.

 

BMI between 25 and 30 is classified as 'overweight'.