Adults living in the most deprived area of Merseyside are more likely to be obese than people from anywhere else in the country - as diabetes soars among the under-40s.
NHS data shows that Knowsley has the highest proportion of obesity among adults in England, with a shocking two in five people over the age of 18 (40.3%) classed as obese.
The data also shows that almost three-quarters of the adult population of Knowsley (74.0%) were either overweight or obese in the year ending March 2021.
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Knowsley is the second most deprived local authority area in England and the most deprived in Merseyside (according to average scores of multiple deprivation indicators).
Knowsley Council told the ECHO there is support available for residents.
A Knowsley Council spokesperson said "We are working with our partners to support residents of all ages to make the small lifestyle changes which can make a big and positive difference to improve their health and wellbeing.
"The Council has developed a Healthy Weight Action Plan 2022-24 and has commissioned a range of services to support residents, including weight management, regular weight monitoring through our 0-25 service to identify issues at an early stage, activities in our parks and green spaces to encourage residents of all ages to take part or increase physical activity, working with Early Years services to deliver the “Healthy Families Right at the Start” programme, community cycling activities for all ages and abilities, and working with schools to deliver the “Daily Mile” to encourage regular physical activity as well as delivering “bikeability” sessions in schools.
"In addition, free health checks are available for people aged between 40-74 years old to help them to identify unhealthy weight and provide support to give up smoking or reduce alcohol uptake.
"Support is also available through our Healthy Knowsley service around healthy eating, getting active and weight management programmes."
At the other end of the scale Sefton, the least deprived area in Merseyside, also has the lowest obesity rates among adults in our area, with one in four (24.4%) classed as obese.
A person is classed as overweight if their BMI (body mass index - a measure using height and weight to assess whether a person is at a healthy weight) is 25.0 or higher. If a person has a BMI of 30.0 or above, they are classed as obese and at greater risk of health conditions including heart disease, some forms of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. A BMI of 40.0 or above means a person is severely obese.
Knowsley also has an obesity problem among children. As of March 2020 - a year earlier than when adults were last measured - 27.2% of Year 6 children, all aged either 10 or 11, were classed as obese.
That compares to 20.7% of Year 6 children in Wirral, the lowest proportion in Merseyside. Wirral is also the second least deprived local authority area in Merseyside.
The national average is 22.5%.
Research has highlighted a strong link between obesity and deprivation. NHS data shows that obesity is almost twice as high among adults living in the most deprived neighbourhoods of England (36.8%) than people living in the least deprived areas (19.2%).
A similar picture exists among children (20.3% compared to 7.8%).
Across all England, 25.3% of adults were obese in 2020-21, which is an increase from 24.1% the previous year, before the pandemic. The proportion of over 18-year-olds who are at least overweight also increased from 62.4% to 63.6% as many piled on the pounds during the lockdown.
But that increase is also likely to be driven by a growing proportion of obese and overweight children becoming adults.
It comes as analysis by Diabetes UK shows an "incredibly troubling" rise in the number of people aged under 40 diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, which is outstripping the pace of diagnoses in the over 40s.
Analysis from the charity - in partnership with supermarket chain Tesco - showed that registered cases of type 2 diabetes had risen by 23% in five years among adults aged between 18 and 39. It is now feared cases among the under-40s could hit 200,000 by 2027.
Type 2 diabetes - which can lead to health complications including heart disease, kidney problems, sexual dysfunction, and even blindness - is closely associated with obesity. It is estimated there is a seven times greater risk of type 2 diabetes in obese people compared with those of healthy weight, and a threefold increase in risk for those just overweight.
Chris Askew OBE, chief executive at Diabetes UK, said: “This trend of rapidly-increasing early-onset type 2 diabetes is incredibly troubling. It marks a shift from what we’ve seen historically and should be taken as a serious warning to policymakers and our NHS.
“If you’re under 40, you’re not immune to type 2 diabetes. It is vital that you check your risk now and that individuals, no matter what their age or background, are given the opportunity to access support to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.”
The government introduced a raft of legislation designed to tackle obesity two years ago, including banning sugary products from being displayed at checkouts and "buy one get one free" multi-deals in shops.
That legislation was threatened when former Health Secretary Therese Coffey announced a review, and also decided against publishing a long-promised white paper that was due to set out plans to address stark inequalities in health that were exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, she has since been sacked as Health Secretary and replaced by Steve Barclay, after Rishi Sunak took over from Liz Truss as Prime Minister.
And last month (before the change in PM and Health Secretary) the government announced it was awarding £50 million to 13 local authorities across the UK to fund research to address health inequalities such as interventions to tackle childhood obesity.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Having a fit and healthy population is essential for a thriving economy and we remain committed to helping people live healthier lives, including by introducing calorie labelling and restricting the location of high fat, salt or sugar foods.
"The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is one of the largest diabetes programmes in the world, providing users with tailored help to reduce their risk through education and bespoke exercise plans."
OBESITY AND OVERWEIGHT ADULTS AND CHILDREN DATA:
Local authority // Percentage of adults classed as obese 2020-21 // Percentage of adults classed as overweight or obese 2020-21 // Percentage of Year 6 children classed as obese 2019-20
Knowsley // 40.3 // 74.0 // 27.2
St. Helens // 34.9 // 67.6 // 25.8
Liverpool // 29.2 // 65.9 // 25.7
Wirral // 27.3 // 71.8 // 20.7
Sefton // 24.4 // 71.5 // 22.7
