British Adults

Means were derived from the 2003-5 Health Survey for England surveys, in which 21,884 females and 18,320 males of all ages were measured.

These data are used by permission of the NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre, Public Health Statistics.

In 2005 the UK population was distributed:

84 % in England

3 %in Northern Ireland

8 % in Scotland

5 % in Wales

(source http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D9399.xls )

The HUMAG dataset was also analysed for the effect of using the English data to represent the whole British/UK population. Although the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish populations were slightly shorter and lighter, the effect is reduced to a negligible level by their small proportions of the whole. It was found that using the English data to represent the UK over-estimates stature by only 0.5 to 2mm and weight by no more than 0.2 kilogrammes. Since the evidence suggests that both these dimensions are increasing over time, the English data are probably the best possible estimates of the UK population for the early 21st Century.

Because the weights were measured in light indoor clothing, a small adjustment had to be made. Measurements indicated that 750 grammes is an appropriate reduction for adults. In order to scale clothing weight for size, all gross weights were reduced by 1%.


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