Call for action over rising obesity levels

Charities have called for Government action as new figures show people are at risk of future health problems from obesity, alcohol and poor diets.

Caroline Cerny, alliance lead at the Obesity Health Alliance, said: "The consistently high rates of overweight and obesity in both adults and children is sadly reflective of the environment we live in – one flooded with unhealthy food and drinks and relentless marketing.

"It doesn't have to be like this. Twenty-five years ago, rates of adult obesity were almost half what they are today.

"We need the next government to urgently bring in new regulations to restrict the marketing of junk food and compel the food industry to make everyday food less sugary and calorific."

Dr Giota Mitrou, director of research at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “It is extremely worrying that around two in three adults in England are overweight or obese, nearly three in four aren't eating their five a day and don't do 30 minutes of physical activity a week.

"We call on the next government to take the health of people seriously and introduce policies that make it easier to make healthy choices.

A spokeswoman from the Alcohol Information Partnership, which is funded by alcohol firms including Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Campari, Bacardi and Moet Hennessy, said: "We know that middle-aged people are likely to drink to harmful levels and this needs to change.

"However, it is encouraging to see that the proportion of people drinking to harmful levels has been falling steadily.”