Obesity costs Britain more than war and terrorism – study

A new study has found that obesity is greater burden on the British economy than armed violence, war and terrorism, as it costs the country nearly £47 billion (N12.5 trillion) a year.

The study, commissioned by US-based consultancy firm McKinsey and Company, reveals that obesity is second only to smoking in terms of economic impact on the United Kingdom (UK), generating an annual loss equivalent to 3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to the report: “Obesity is a major global economic problem caused by a multitude of factors. Today, obesity is jostling with armed conflict and smoking in terms of having the greatest human-generated global economic impact”.