A new UK Obesity Research Institute (UK-ORI) is being established with a £72 million investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The institute will focus on understanding obesity, its links to serious illnesses, and developing new treatments.
The BHF's investment will specifically target research into how obesity impacts cardiovascular disease. Obesity continues to place a growing burden on individuals, healthcare services, and the economy.
In England, there were 8,716 hospital admissions directly attributed to obesity in 2022 to 2023, a 13% increase from the previous year. During the same period, obesity was a factor in more than 1.2 million hospital admissions, an 8% increase compared to 2021 to 2022.
The UK-ORI will investigate the causes, prevention, treatment, and health consequences of obesity, focusing on why it affects some individuals differently. Professor Patrick Chinnery, MRC Executive Chair, stated that obesity-related illness costs the NHS £6 billion annually and is a leading cause of preventable premature death. He described obesity as a complex biological condition involving genetics, hormones, the brain, metabolism, behaviour, and the environment.
Research will also examine the connection between obesity and chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. The institute aims to accelerate the translation of research discoveries into real-world health benefits by strengthening links between academia, industry, and healthcare.