Britons are the fattest of Europe

A major Government study has shown the continuing North-South divide when it comes to the health of people in England. The report also shows that the UK has the highest obesity rate in Europe and that Boston in Lincolnshire has the highest number of people with obesity in England. The "Health Profile" says men in northern counties die on average two years earlier than those in the South - partly because of higher obesity levels and smoking-related disease. Life expectancy for women is also a year shorter.

Since 1998, 1.2 million people have stopped smoking but Yorkshire and Humber, the North West and the North East regions have higher-than- average death rates from smoking-related diseases.

The Health Profile is aimed at helping areas measure their progress in tackling health inequalities and seek help from those performing better.

It also measures the Labour Government's progress in tackling health issues since it launched a new campaign in 2004 and set out the "next steps for action".

The unfortunate label of fat man of Europe is another label that Labour have also achieved to go with The sick heart of europe - when Health Direct reported on May 15, 2006 that Heart disease, the most preventable health threat facing Britain today, is costing the economy £29bn a year. Rising rates of obesity, an ageing population and the soaring prescription bills for heart drugs such as statins mean that the bill is likely to rise in the future.

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