On World Obesity Day the Obesity Health Alliance has published a report revealing that obesity health costs are 'soaring' and that junk food companies are pouring 'millions' into advertising.

Commenting, Dr William Tigbe, Clinical Education Fellow at Warwick Medical School, said:

"More and more people are gaining more and more weight. The number of people with obesity has been increasing. Obese individuals are getting even heavier.

"We know that each unit gain in BMI brings additional health care cost. This is because obesity is associated with many adverse health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and many cancers.

"The main cause of obesity is the accumulation of excess energy – i.e. more calories consumed than can be expended through physical activity. There is so much available energy-dense processed food and our lifestyle are too sedentary.

"Individuals and policy makers have a role to play but the food industry has a bigger role."

11 October 2017

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