LONDON U.K. - A quarter of the population is officially obese yet only six per cent believe their weight is bad enough to be classified in that category, according to a survey published yesterday.The study suggests that the rapid rise in obesity in recent years has caused weight problems to be ‘normalised' — with as many as ten million people unaware their weight is putting their health at risk.
Slimming World's annual survey revealed that three quarters of those with a severe weight problem see ‘obesity' as something that happens to other people. - But there is no underestimating the emotional damage caused by piling on the pounds.
- More than one in three people who are very overweight feel that weight is ‘the most important issue in life' and up to half feel ‘embarrassed', ‘ashamed', ‘disgusted' and ‘trapped' by it.
The survey found that 70 per cent of people in the UK want to lose weight, rising to 95 per cent for people with a Body Mass Index in the obese category.Dr Jacquie Lavin, head of nutrition and research at Slimming World, described the findings as ‘worrying'. She said: "Many people, including many health professionals, believe that managing weight is just about energy balance, and that people simply need to "eat less and exercise more".
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