The leading charity dedicated to supporting people living with obesity.
Obesity UK
As defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), obesity is abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health.
A crude measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI), which is measured by calculating a person’s weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of his or her height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30kg.m2 or more is generally considered to be living with obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for several chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Obesity is a complex health condition. The UK Government’s Foresight Report, published in 2007, established that there are over 100 different factors that can contribute to weight gain and thus obesity. Many of these factors are either partially or completely outside of a person’s control.
Research evidence has highlighted that people generally believe obesity is caused by factors within a person’s control, focusing on diet and exercise without recognition of, for instance, social and environmental determinants.
Obesity UK, originally HOOP UK, was formed in 2010 by Lesley McCormack who set up a social media platform to support the parents of children with obesity who were not getting any assistance from their local healthcare services. Volunteer online administrators – all experts by experience – were recruited and helped manage the growing number of members.
In 2013, the organisation became a registered charity. By this time, it had a total membership in excess of five thousand people, had recruited over 10 volunteer administrators and had appointed a board of trustees.
Obesity UK now trains and develops volunteers to support the work that the charity does to support people living with obesity.
Our Mission
Obesity UK is committed to creating a society where obesity is understood, support is accessible, and stigma is eliminated. Through education, advocacy, and collaboration, we empower individuals and communities to improve health outcomes and drive lasting change.
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