London, Oct 25 (IANS) Almost one in 10 adults is now so obese that their doctors consider their weight a serious health risk.
More than 5.5 million over the age of 16 are officially on the obesity register kept by doctors – up by a quarter of a million in the past year alone.
And almost 2.8 million people are being treated for Type 2 diabetes, a disease strongly linked to a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet.
Experts said the shocking rise was a wake-up call for people to change their lifestyle before it is too late, reports the Daily Mail.
According to the Office for National Statistics, a quarter of the population is defined as obese as measured by Body Mass Index, based on weight and height.
However, this may also classify heavily-muscled athletes as obese when they are far from unhealthy.
The biggest jump was in England where there was a 5.5 percent rise between 2008-09 and 2009-10, up from 4.4 million to 4.6 million.
In many cases, Type 2 diabetes – the ‘lifestyle’ form of the disease – can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, taking regular exercise and eating a balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables but low in fat, sugar and salt.
Ian Campbell, medical director of the charity Weight Concern, said the latest figures underestimated the true level of obesity and diabetes because many thousands were not on the registers of general practitioners.
