Over one million prescriptions are made out to patients every year in an effort to combat obesity.

The number of prescription items dispensed to treat obesity has increased eightfold in the last eight years, from 127,000 in 1999 to over one million today, according to a report published by The Information Centre for health and social care (The IC).

Included amongst the most commonly prescribed drugs for obesity are Sibutramine, which alters the chemical messages received by the brain, and Orlistat, which prevents the absorption of fat by the intestine.

Also published alongside these figures was the most recent report by The Health Survey for England (HSE), an annual report that monitors the health of the population. It reflected The IC’s findings and reported an increase in the number of men and women who have been diagnosed as obese – from 13.2% of men in 1993 to 23.7% in 2006, and for women during the same time period, from 16.4% to 24.2%.

Tim Straughan, Chief Executive of The IC, said: “Now in its sixteenth year, The HSE offers a vital insight into the nation’s health. Information such as the large rise in obesity prescriptions paints an indicative picture of the population today and will help policy makers and healthcare professionals plan for tomorrow.”

The HSE report also revealed that nearly a quarter of all women – and 21% of men – are at risk of developing health problems connected to obesity, including the nation’s biggest killer, cardiovascular disease (CVD).

In addition, the survey found that one in ten adults (aged 16 and over) had already been diagnosed with CVD, such as coronary heart disease or angina.

To read the report in full, visit www.ic.nhs.uk.