Search: Celebs weight-gain normal
The increasing profile of overweight celebrities such James Corden and Beth Ditto is making weight-gain appear normal, a medical expert said.
Professor Michael McMahon was speaking after a report revealed almost a quarter (23%) of the population have a body mass index (BMI) that classifies them as obese, compared to 11% 10 years ago.
Professor Michael McMahon, a expert on keyhole surgery, said: "The increasing profile of larger celebrities, for example James Corden, Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Jones and Beth Ditto, means that being overweight is now perceived as being 'normal' in the eyes of the public. We talk about the dangers of skinny media images, but the problem actually swings both ways."
Researchers found many obese people refused to take any action about their situation with almost one in five (17%) not contemplating doing anything to lose weight.
It also found many obese people fail to recognise they have a problem at all.
Professor McMahon said: "The increased acceptance of obesity is alarming. It is disappointing that in the last five years the emergency services have had to respond to over 1,700 requests to help move obese patients stuck in their homes. However, there are probably numerous social and environmental factors behind it.
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"The majority of people go to see a doctor within one week of noticing a cold, cough or ingrown toenail, but the same people ignore obesity problems for a number of years before seeking professional help. This delay could be fatal.
"If people continue to turn a blind eye to their weight problems, they will see their life expectancy considerably shortened. If nothing changes then I believe we could see one in six people eligible for weight-loss surgery within a generation. The new research suggests that if the rise in obesity continues at this rate, the majority of the British population could be obese before the turn of the century. Clearly this is a situation that cannot be allowed to happen."
More than 2,000 people took part in the survey which was released by the not-for-profit healthcare organisation Nuffield Health.
