The bar charts illustrate the estimated number of obese adults and children in the UK in 2003, with projections for 2010. The first graph presents data for men and women aged 16 and over, while the second focuses on children aged 2 to 15, divided into boys and girls.
Overall, all groups are expected to experience an increase in obesity levels by 2010. Adults show particularly significant growth, especially men, while among children the rise is more moderate but still notable.
In 2003, around 4 million adult men were classified as obese. This figure is projected to rise sharply to approximately 7 million by 2010, making men the group with the highest expected increase. Obese women numbered about 4.5 million in 2003, and their numbers are forecast to reach nearly 6 million, showing a slightly smaller but still substantial rise compared to men.
A similar upward trend is observed among children. In 2003, roughly 750,000 boys were obese, with this number expected to increase to 800,000 by 2010. Girls show a slightly lower figure of about 700,000 in 2003, but their projected 2010 number rises more dramatically, reaching approximately 900,000 – making girls the child group with the highest projected level of obesity.
In summary, while obesity is expected to rise across all demographics, the most pronounced increases are projected for adult men and young girls.