The solution to being overweight is not easy but it is achievable.

In the UK and elsewhere in the developed world, rates of obesity are growing rapidly like peoples waist lines in fact. Up to 40 per cent of people in the UK are now classified as being obese. This increase in obesity has been blamed on several factors primarily a decrease in physical activity leading to an increasing sedentary lifestyle and a high fat diet.

Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the world on a par with smoking and everyone knows how bad that is for them. Obesity can reduce life expectancy by up to 7 years.

There are various health implications for being overweight. These include increased rates of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol levels and certain types of cancer. Obesity also has implications for the country as a whole due to the increased cost to the NHS of treating obese and overweight people. However weight loss and a healthy diet can drastically reduce the chances of people being affected by these diseases.

So what is the solution to being overweight? Healthy eating and increased amounts of physical exercise will go a long way to reducing the problems of being slightly or moderately overweight. For people who are excessively overweight or morbidly obese more drastic steps may be required. This can include surgery such as the fitting of a gastric band or stomach bypass. However this is only recommended in extreme circumstances.

More effort is required to halt the rising obesity epidemic. If it is not brought under control in the near future the economic and social costs will only continue to rise as the nation groans under its own weight. This effort has to come from both the government in the form of increased education and awareness about the issue and from the people taking more responsibility for their health and wellbeing.