Working in partnership, both organisations will invest £72 million in the UK Obesity Research Institute (UK-ORI), which will be solely dedicated to addressing one of the most significant health challenges facing the UK.
The BHF’s investment will primarily be focused on the impact of obesity on cardiovascular health.
The news comes as the UK struggles with a stubbornly entrenched obesity epidemic, with 8,716 hospital admissions directly attributable to obesity in 2022-23 in England alone, a 13% increase on the previous year.
During the same period, obesity was a factor in more than 1.2 million hospital admissions, an increase of 8% compared with 2021-22, illustrating the burden the disease places on the NHS.
Understanding obesity’s causes
Professor Patrick Chinnery, MRC executive chair, said: “Obesity related illness costs the NHS £6 billion annually and is a leading cause of preventable premature death. But obesity is not simply a matter of excess body fat or eating too much. It is a complex biological condition involving the interaction of genetics, hormones, the brain, metabolism, behaviour and the environment.
“The UK Obesity Research Institute will bring together world-leading expertise to tackle this challenge from multiple angles. It will help us better understand the mechanistic causes of obesity, its links to other serious illnesses and how we can develop more effective ways of preventing and treating it.”
He continued: “By supporting research that spans discovery science, experimental medicine and translation, we can help deliver the evidence and innovations needed. This will improve health outcomes for millions of people.”
UK-ORI’s main goals will be to investigate the origins, prevention, treatment and health consequences of obesity, with a particular focus on how, and why, it affects some people and not others.
Bringing together a range of experts to develop targeted treatments, the institute will also examine the link between obesity and chronic illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.
The institute will seek to strengthen links between academia, industry and healthcare, helping to ensure scientific advances lead more quickly to patient benefit.
Focus on cardiovascular disease
Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, added: “Obesity is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, linked to tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes every year in the UK. It is vital that we improve our understanding of how obesity impacts our national health.
“That’s why we’re delighted to be partnering with the Medical Research Council to establish the UK Obesity Research Institute. Obesity is a complex condition that is too often misunderstood, yet it is one of the biggest drivers of heart disease and stroke.”
Concluding, he said: “The institute will bring together leading researchers and invest in cutting-edge science, helping to transform our understanding of obesity. It will accelerate the development of new ways to prevent and treat it, ultimately helping more people to live in good health for longer.”
