Health Survey for England, 2024
The Health Survey for England (HSE) was released yesterday, providing updated national estimates on health conditions, risk factors and health-related behaviours. The survey remains a key source of information that is not available elsewhere on a regular basis.
A few headline findings from the latest release:
-
Smoking and vaping
-
11% of adults currently smoke cigarettes
-
10% of adults currently use e-cigarettes
-
9% of children aged 8–15 have ever tried an e-cigarette
-
2% of children in this age group have ever tried a cigarette, down from 19% in 1997
-
-
Physical activity
-
27% of adults were classified as inactive, taking part in less than 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity per week
-
-
Long-term health and conditions
-
46% of adults aged 16+ reported at least one longstanding illness or condition
-
48% of adults had raised cholesterol
-
26% of adults reported chronic pain
-
13% reported high-impact chronic pain that interfered with daily life or work
-
-
Weight status
-
30% of adults were living with obesity
-
66% of adults were either overweight or living with obesity
-
Overweight (including obesity) was more common among men (70%) than women (62%)
-
Sharing for those interested in population health trends in England.
What stands out to you in these figures, and how do you see them being used in policy, practice, or research?