Health inequalities

Who and where are the consumers who want to improve their health through good nutrition? Shopper behaviour analyst Kantar looks for answers.

The UK has a problem. Office for National Statistics data shows that in 2015, 58% of women and 68% of men were overweight or obese.

Obesity prevalence increased from 15% in 1993 to 27% in 2015. In 2015/16, one in four children started school overweight and obese; one in three children are obese in Year 6. The annual cost of obesity to the NHS has been estimated at £6.1bn, and at more than £27bn to the wider economy.

After decades of increases, life expectancy in the UK is now edging downwards. It is estimated that adults can lose three years of life if moderately obese and 7-10 years if severely obese. Studies say that today’s obese children could live up to 20 years less than their healthy peers.