Obesity 'crisis talks' to be held

Adult obesity rates are thought to have tripled since 1982.

Measures to tackle the UK's growing obesity rates have been discussed by health professionals in Glasgow.

The conference, organised by Glasgow University, brought together experts in the field of obesity management.

The event was staged against a backdrop of growing obesity rates among adults and children.

According to the latest estimates, about one in four men and one in five women in the UK are classified as obese.

Adult obesity rates alone are thought to have tripled since 1982.

Tackling the problem is a high priority for health professionals as it can lead to arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, strokes and certain cancers.

'Physically active'

Dr Jason Gill, from the Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences at Glasgow University, said physical activity had a key role to play in controlling obesity.

"Current guidelines recommend that adults routinely perform at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity," he said.

"This amount of activity is probably enough to reduce risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, but greater levels of daily physical activity may be necessary to maintain a healthy body weight throughout life.

"Physical activity may be a more important factor than body weight in determining risk of heart disease.

"So it might actually be better to be fat and physically active than to be thin and inactive in terms of heart health."