TACKLING OBESITY COULD PROLONG THOUSANDS OF LIVES

MORE than 40,000 lives could be saved in the UK by 2030 if people were a healthy weight, research suggests.

Premature deaths from cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes could be cut by 31% compared with current predictions if obesity was wiped out, a study found.

Researchers, who presented their findings at the European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow, found that obesity directly accounts for about four million deaths globally in a year.

Dr Kate Allen, executive director of science and public affairs at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “In the UK, over 60% of adults are overweight or obese.

“It will take a whole-of-society, whole-of-government approach to solve the global obesity epidemic.”