ONS: Quarter of all UK adults classified as 'obese'

A quarter of all adults (26 per cent) in the UK were classified as obese during 2010, according to a report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The figure marks a considerable increase in obesity levels seen just two decades ago - in 1993, 13.2 per cent of men and 16.4 per cent of women were classed as obese.

Perhaps more worryingly, obesity is increasing among young people - in 2010, 17 per cent of boys and 15 per cent of girls (aged two to 15) were obese, while 11 per cent of boys and 12 per cent of girls were classed as obese in 1995.

The figures come from a ONS progress report on the Measuring National Wellbeing programme - a subjective annual population survey, comparing happiness and anxiety levels by sex, age, ethnicity and other demographic factors.

The initiative was launched last year and will run until 2014-15.

To see the full ONS report, click here.

• The ONS report was published on the day that The Legatum Institute formed a high-level commission to examine the policy implications of wellbeing research.

The non-partisan, independent commission will be chaired by former Cabinet Secretary Gus O’Donnell and will publish a report illustrating the strengths and limitations of wellbeing analysis.