With a study predicting that by 2050 more than half of adults and a third of children worldwide will be overweight or obese, industries from healthcare to aviation are adapting to accommodate larger bodies. The trend includes growing demand for oversized coffins, extra-width spectator seating, and bariatric ambulances.
In the UK, the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) reports that the average coffin width has increased from 51-56cm to 56-61cm over the past decade. Some undertakers have imported reinforced caskets from the US measuring up to 132cm wide, which can be too wide for standard burial plots. Councils have introduced extra charges for wider coffins, which the NAFD calls an 'unfair, discriminatory burden'. Crematoriums, such as Sandwell council's, have upgraded to extra-wide 110cm furnaces to cater for larger coffin sizes.
Ambulance services have invested heavily in bariatric ambulances designed for patients over 158kg, with double-width trolley stretchers and reinforced tail-lifts. The NHS spent £10m on bariatric equipment in 2021-22, up from £5m in 2018-19, including larger mortuary fridges and wheelchairs. In 2022-23, there were a record 1.2m obesity-related NHS hospital admissions, almost double the number five years earlier.
In transport, airlines have introduced 'slimline' seats as narrow as 43cm, making travel difficult for obese passengers. Many airlines, including Ryanair and Air France, offer options to book extra seats at a discount or full price. Canadian airlines allow obese passengers to request an extra seat free of charge with medical documentation. Stadiums now provide extra-width seating, as seen at the 2014 World Cup where 1,675 seats were reserved for obese or disabled attendees. Fifa guidelines recommend seats as wide as two standard ones, supporting up to 250kg.
Theatres like Chorley in Lancashire now provide seat dimensions online to help larger adults assess accessibility. These adaptations reflect a broader societal shift as obesity rates continue to rise globally.
