Obesity epidemic: We’re losing war on fat

As anyone who struggles to control their weight will confirm it is a spectacular challenge and one that never ends.

For many people the process is a combination of achievement followed only too quickly by a return to the habits and diet that caused the problem in the first place. Not only is weight an issue but failure to manage it brings its own issues.

And the problem is spreading. A report published yesterday found that almost a third of the world’s population is fat. More than two billion people are overweight or obese. This has almost unimaginable consequences for public health resources, personal happiness and family security. This spiral continues despite education programmes to help people maintain a normal, healthy weight.