people still underestimate the harm that carrying excess fat can do

Philips Healthcare who have been conducting surveys in different parts of the world regarding obesity have shown that on the whole people tend to underestimate whether they are overweight or not. Their Weight and Exercise Special Report which is being compiled as part of the Philips Health and Wellbeing Index has concluded for example that 60 percent of UK females felt they were overweight when in fact the real figure is considerably more.

Overall 54 percent of UK citizens reckoned that they were overweight with women being more realistic and men being more out of touch with what constituted being overweight or obese. Worryingly however only fifteen percent of those people who were actually overweight said that they would consider doing something about it showing that the majority of them have just accepted themselves as the way they are and have no intention of changing.

The survey which questioned over 3,000 people also observed that two out of three people said that they didn't exercise enough. Probably the most worrying statistic is that 80 percent did not perceive obesity related disease like diabetes, heart disease and cancer as being a threat to their health.

Despite clear statistical evidence that obesity has a huge negative health impact and causes a whole range of potentially life threatening illnesses, people still underestimate the harm that carrying excess fat can do. Overweight people die younger have a poorer quality of life and even suffer from psychological conditions like depression and low self esteem.

The Philips Healthcare Index was conducted in over twenty different countries and has shown that there is a lack of education about the dangers of obesity and that governments would be advised to invest in public health campaigns and legislation to get their citizens to become healthier.

Some health experts say that over the next decade obesity will become the number one preventable cause of death in developed nations, overtaking smoking. It is also estimated that today's children could well live shorter lives than their parents because so many of them will live with obesity.