At the same time, the cost to the NHS rocketed from just £690,000 a year to £38.16 million. The alarming figures highlight the full extent of Britain's obesity epidemic.  One in four adults in the UK is now classed as obese, putting them at increased of an early death from heart attacks, stroke and diabetes. Experts warned last night the cost to the NHS is likely to grow further.

 

"This figure will carry on climbing because prescribing is still at a pretty low level," said David Haslam.  "We are going to see a lot more expense of this kind. But the benefits to the economy outweigh the cost to the NHS. "A lot of illness can be avoided by using these pills to aid weight loss." The latest figures emerged from a study by researchers at Imperial College London.

 

They analysed prescribing data for two anti-obesity drugs, orlistat and sibutramine, in England between 1998 and 2005.  The results, published in the Journal of Public Health, showed a 36-fold rise in orlistat usage and a four-fold rise in sibutramine pills.  The drugs work by reducing the amount of fat the body absorbs from food.

 

In a report on their findings, the researchers said at least 20 more anti-obesity medicines are in development as drug firms gear up to cope with the global epidemic.  But they called on obese patients to be given advice on diet and exercise as well as drug treatments to help them lose weight.  "Over the last seven years, there has been a substantial increase in the cost of anti-obesity medicines," the report said. "In the future, even more resources will need to be allocated to treat obesity as its prevalence increases and newer drugs are introduced."