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A quarter of Brits are obese
10/10/2006 14:57 - (SA)
London - The United Kingdom is the fattest country in Europe, according to the BBC, based on a new study of obesity rates in England released on Tuesday.
The Health Profile of England report, compiled from government data, said some 24% of people in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are obese, the broadcaster added.
This compares with just eight percent in Italy, nine percent in France and about 12% in Ireland, Germany and Spain.
Obesity was measured as the percentage of people who had a body mass index (BMI) - height to weight ratio - of more than 30.
Personal responsibility
Speaking before the report was published, Prime Minister Tony Blair told BBC television that people had to take some "personal responsibility" for their health.
"We can't really afford a decent healthcare system going forward unless healthcare is not just about treating you when you are sick but also about looking after your fitness, your healthcare, and that requires people to take some personal responsibility for what they do," he said.
Two months ago, the department of health predicted that 13 million people in England would be obese by 2010 if nothing was done to tackle the problem.
North-south divide
While life expectancy is increasing across the board, the report said there was still an acute "north-south divide" in England - life expectancy among men in the north of the country is two years shorter than in the south.
The main opposition Conservatives' spokesperson on health, Andrew Lansley, called for "serious interventions" including more school nurses and a food labelling scheme to help people build a good diet and tackle the problem.
Obesity was forced up the political agenda in Britain last year by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's campaign for better school dinners for children.
- AFP
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