Obese patients cost NHS twice as much as those with healthy weight, study says

Average of 1,375 spent annually on heavier patients as government faces scrutiny for policy failures

Obese patients cost the NHS twice as much as those within a healthy weight range, according to research.

Using the health records of 2.4 million adults in north-west London, researchers found spending increased for heavier patients, primarily for obesity-related conditions. Patients of a healthy weight cost the NHS an average of 638 annually, the study found.