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New £72 million institute will help tackle obesity
A new research institute will transform understanding of obesity, its links to serious illness and help develop better approaches to prevention and treatment
The Medical Research Council (MRC), in partnership with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), is investing £72 million in the UK Obesity Research Institute (UK-ORI)
It will be dedicated to tackling one of the UK’s most significant health challenges
The investment from BHF will be focused on research into the impact of obesity on cardiovascular disease
Impacting individuals and healthcare
It comes as obesity continues to place a growing burden on individuals, healthcare services and the economy
In England alone, there were 8,716 hospital admissions directly attributable to obesity in 2022 to 2023, 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 to 2021 to 2022
UK-ORI will undertake research into the origins, prevention, treatment, and health consequences of obesity
It will focus on how, and why, it affects some people and not others
It will bring together expertise in biomedical science, medicine and technology to develop effective, targeted treatments and improved health outcomes
Impacting chronic disease
Research will also look at the link between obesity and chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer
Supported by experimental medicine, the institute will test biological mechanisms in humans and help ensure that promising new therapies are developed safely and effectively
Translating research into treatments
A key ambition for UK-ORI is to accelerate the translation of research discoveries into real-world health benefits
The institute will strengthen links between academia, industry and healthcare, helping ensure that scientific advances lead more quickly to patient benefit
A complex, biological condition
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
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
Accelerating development
Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said:
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
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
Further information
Obesity alters metabolism, causes chronic inflammation, and places mechanical strain on the body, leading to life-threatening complications like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers
The most common and severe obesity-related conditions include:
Cardiometabolic diseases
Type 2 diabetes
Excess fat causes insulin resistance, meaning the body cannot use insulin effectively to control blood sugar. Obesity accounts for many type 2 diabetes cases
Heart disease and strokes
Obesity is a primary driver of high blood pressure (hypertension) and unhealthy cholesterol levels (high triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein)
These factors lead to an increased risk of heart attacks, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and stroke
Liver and gastrointestinal conditions
Steatotic liver disease
Formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, it involves excessive fat deposits in the liver and can progress to chronic inflammation and severe cirrhosis
Gallbladder disease
Higher cholesterol levels and altered gallbladder function increase the likelihood of developing painful gallstones and other biliary conditions
Cancer
Obesity creates an environment in the body that can promote tumor growth
It is linked to an increased risk of at least 13 types of cancer, including breast, colon, uterine, kidney, pancreatic, and liver cancer
Respiratory and joint issues
Obstructive sleep apnea
Excess fat deposits around the neck and throat can physically narrow the airway, causing breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep
Osteoarthritis
Carrying excess weight puts severe mechanical stress on weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips, while systemic inflammation further damages joint cartilage
Kidney and neurological disease
Chronic kidney disease
Obesity increases the risk of chronic kidney disease by three to four times. This is largely driven by its correlation with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
A neurological condition causing high pressure in the fluid around the brain, frequently seen in individuals with higher BMIs
Channel website:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/innovate-ukOriginal article link:https://www.ukri.org/news/new-72-million-institute-will-help-tackle-obesity/Share this article
