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tr'> The United Kingdom is the fattest country in Europe, according to the BBC, based on a new study of obesity rates in England released on Tuesday. The "Health Profile of England" report, compiled from government data, said some 24 percent of people in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are obese, the broadcaster added. This compares with just eight percent in Italy, 9 percent in France and about 12 percent in Ireland, Germany and Spain.
Obesity was measured as the percentage of people who had a body mass index (BMI) -- height to weight ratio -- of more than 30. Speaking before the report was published, Prime Minister Tony Blair told BBC television that people had to take some "personal responsibility" for their health. "We can't really afford a decent healthcare system going forward unless healthcare is not just about treating you when you are sick but also about looking after your fitness, your healthcare, and that requires people to take some personal responsibility for what they do," he said.
Two months ago, the Department of Health predicted that 13 million people in England would be obese by 2010 if nothing was done to tackle the problem. While life expectancy is increasing across the board, the report said there was still an acute "north-south divide" in England -- life expectancy among men in the north of the country is two years shorter than in the south. The main opposition Conservatives' spokesman on health, Andrew Lansley, called for "serious interventions" including more school nurses and a food-labeling scheme to help people build a good diet and tackle the problem.
Obesity was forced up the political agenda in Britain last year by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's campaign for better school dinners for children.
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