Obesity course details unveiled

Further details have been unveiled about Scotland's first university course about the science of obesity.

The Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen will begin the MSc in Obesity Science with a new intake in September.

It will cover links with serious diseases including type two diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.

The university said it hoped research from the course would improve the understanding of what makes us fat.

In the first year, a maximum of 20 students will be able to take the course.

"Obesity has been described as a health time bomb"

It is hoped it can eventually cater for 30 students annually.

The centre said it designed the course because of demand for more research into the causes and consequences of obesity.

Professor Ian Broom, director of RGU's Centre for Obesity Research, told BBC Scotland: "We need to develop new ways of dealing with this and the overall education in terms of why we get obese is not clear to the general public.

"You may think we eat too much but it's not just as simple as that."

It is expected to attract students with an interest in nutrition, health care and public health.

Course leader Giovanna Bermano said: "Obesity has been described as a health time bomb.

"There is the need to educate health professionals or any person dealing with obesity what the problem is."

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