Proposals to give obese unemployed people weight-loss jabs could be “very important” for our economy and health, the Prime Minister has told the BBC.

Lord Keir Starmer said he recognized that more money was needed for the NHS, and the government also had to “think differently” to alleviate pressure on the healthcare system.

His comments came after Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the jabs could be given to help people return to work.

Some injections are already prescribed by the NHS to treat obesity, and also for people with diabetes.

Sir Keir told the BBC that the jabs would be “very useful” for people who want and need to lose weight.

“(The drug is) very important for our NHS because yes, we need more money for the NHS, but we also need to think differently.”

Streeting suggested the drugs could be “life-changing” for individuals.

In one opinion piece for the Telegraafwrote the health minister: “Winning waistbands also places a significant burden on our healthcare system.”

“The long-term benefits of these drugs could be enormous in our approach to tackling obesity.”

The latest Health Survey for England from the NHS shows that in 2022, 29% of adults in England were obese and 64% were considered overweight.

Diseases linked to obesity cost the NHS £11 billion a year, Streeting said.

Obesity is also linked to the development of type 2 diabetes, with the NHS spending around £10 billion a year – 9% of its budget – on caring for people with diabetes.

His words came as the government announced a five-year trial in Greater Manchester of the weight-loss drug Mounjaro.

Mounjaro’s maker Lilly – the world’s largest pharmaceutical company – is investing £279 million as part of the trial, which will look at whether use of the drug will reduce unemployment and NHS use.

NHS officials have suggested that the rollout of the drug will have to be staggered across England due to expected high demand.

Nearly 250,000 people are expected to receive the Mounjaro shot over the next three years, officials said.

The health minister added that the weight-loss injections could also benefit the economy, reducing the number of sick days due to obesity.

“Illness caused by obesity causes people to take an average of four extra sick days per year, while many others go out of work altogether,” he said.

However, individuals will still need to remain responsible for taking “healthy living” more seriously as “the NHS cannot be expected to always pick up the tab for unhealthy lifestyles”, he said.

“As a country we eat more, we eat less healthily and we exercise less. The costs for the individual are clear: a less healthy and shorter life.”

Obesity policy specialist Dr Dolly van Tulleken said the idea was unrealistic as the population eligible for this plan is “in the millions”, while specialist weight management services can only treat 49,000 people a year .

She said the policy idea of ​​boosting unemployed people who are obese was not new and had previously fallen “very poorly”.

Speaking to the Today programme, she said the plans look at people based on “their potential economic value” rather than their needs.

Some weight loss medications are already prescribed by the NHS. The appetite suppressant drug is sold under the brand names Wegovy – used for obesity – and Ozempic, for diabetes.

It comes in the form of an injection and mimics the hormone GLP-1, making people feel fuller and less hungry.

Experts have warned in the past that the drug is not a quick fix or replacement for good eating and exercise, and should only be offered under medical supervision.

Former Health Secretary Lord Bethell said the NHS should take “concrete steps to focus on prevention so that we do not simply medicalise the national obesity problem.”

Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of the NHS, said the drugs would be a “game-changer” for public health and could reduce the risk of diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

David A Ricks, Lilly’s chairman and CEO, said: “We welcome this opportunity to work with the UK government to tackle and prevent disease, and accelerate innovation to advance healthcare delivery models.”