Majority of adults in Northumberland are overweight or obese, according to new figures

Obesity Health Alliance said the government must make it easier and cheaper to buy healthier food and drinks to bring the rate of obesity down in England.

Figures from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities show an estimated 63.4% of over 18s in Northumberland were overweight or living with obesity in the year to November 2022.

This is up from 62.6% in 2015-16 when the Sport England Active Lives survey began, which the data is based on.

In addition, an estimated 26.1% adults were obese – an increase from 24.5% seven years prior.

Katharine Jenner, Obesity Health Alliance director, said: "These new figures cover a period during which the government had a ‘oven ready’ obesity strategy that could have helped prevent the continued rise in obesity rates, yet failed to enact it, and now we are reaping the consequences.

"Our country is flooded with cheap, unhealthy, heavily processed food and billions is spent on marketing," she added.

"This government must make it easier, cheaper and more appealing to buy healthier food and drinks, to help turn the tide on obesity."

The British Obesity Society said there were "huge concerns" with the growing proportion of overweight adults in the country, but added it was not surprising.

They added the increasing cost of living has also increased consumption of processed foods as they are "quick, cheap and convenient".

The figures also show there is a higher proportion of men are overweight or living with obesity (69.1%) than women (58.4%).