The market place
It’s no secret that being overweight or obese
is becoming a problem for more and more people.
The UK adult population is currently just over
49 million1, of which 61 per cent are either
obese2 or overweight3. This gives LighterLife
a potential customer base of 30 million people4.
UK obesity rates have doubled in the last 25
years and it’s estimated that 60 per cent of men and 50 per cent of
women will be obese by 20505. It’s also estimated that
obesity will soon surpass smoking as the biggest cause of premature
death in the UK6.
According to UK National Audit Office
statistics, being clinically obese can reduce life expectancy by a
staggering nine years7. Over 40 serious health
conditions are linked to obesity, including high blood pressure,
diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and some
cancers8.
The good news is that as people start to lose
their excess weight their health will improve. Just a ten per cent
decrease in body weight reduces the risk of developing:
- Type 2 diabetes by 50 per cent9
and diabetes-related death by 30 per cent10.
- Obesity-related cancers by 40 per
cent10
- Heart disease by 20 per
cent11
References