South Tyneside among the worst for obesity hospital admissions

South Tyneside has one of country's biggest obesity prolems

A report from the Health and Social Care Information Centre shows the borough has the country’s second highest rate of hospital admissions with a primary diagnosis of obesity.

The figures come from the HSCIC’s hospital episode statistics and data from the organisation’s prescribing unit which monitors drugs and materials dispensed for treatment of obesity.

According to the report – called ‘Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet’ – there were 152 hospital admissions in South Tyneside because of obesity in 2014/15.

This works out at 102 admissions per 100,000 of the population.

Sunderland had the worst admissions record in the country at 135 people per 100,000. The figure for Gateshead was 69 per 100,000 and Newcastle at 28 per 100,000.

The total number of hospital admissions across the country with a primary diagnosis of obesity was 9,130.

The majority of these were for female patients with a total of 6,630 admitted, compared to 2,500 for men.

Overall the figures show a worrying increase in the number of people who are classed as obese.

The report said: “Overall, the prevalence of obesity has increased from 15% in 1993 to 26% in 2014.”