Have we become the fat of the land?

According to health chiefs at Selby and York Primary Care Trust, that is the number of adults who are estimated to be medically obese in our area today.

The Press has already reported earlier this year how 7,000 children are thought to be obese in Selby and York.

The news comes after shock Government figures revealed the massive problem of obesity across Britain.

A recently-published report suggested as many as 12 million adults and one million children would be obese in four years if action was not taken to halt the problem.

Our research at The Press has calculated that could mean as many as 50,000 people could be classed in that bracket in York alone by 2010 - and a further 150,000 across North Yorkshire.

Anne Robinson, dietician manager at York Hospital, said: "We are kind of following America really, they are ahead of us but we're very much following that sort of pattern.

"People have understood about healthy eating - but what they haven't understood is that you still have to eat less."

Doctors in York said today rising obesity levels were extremely worrying - and said lifestyle changes were to blame.

York GP Dr James MacLeod said: "It's very worrying.

"We should look across to America, we've had what they had 20 years ago.

"If we can see the figures now, we need to think about the (steps we need to take) to deal with it."

Dr Brian McGregor, secretary of the local medical committee, said: "Yes, we are all getting more overweight, but it's a lifestyle issue.

"There wasn't a car for everybody in the 1930s and 40s, there was a lot more poverty around.

"We're eating too much and not exercising enough."

A Primary Care Trust spokesman said: "Tackling obesity is a top priority both nationally and locally, particularly among children.

"Prevention of overweight and obesity can be achieved by improving access to obesity services, increasing physical activity levels and eating a healthy diet."

Today we can also reveal that the number of stomach surgery operations at York Hospital has risen sharply over the past three years - going up from 13 in 2003 to 41 last year.

Of the people who had the surgery last year in York, 35 were women. The year before, 20 people were given surgery - and only one was male.

York GP Dr MacLeod said the rise in the need for surgery was a worrying development.

"It is worrying that there appears to be a lot more people who need this type of surgery because they have become obese," he said. "Having seen the effects of it on people who will have been very obese for a long time, it does seem to be quite effective but whether that gets to the root of the problem or not I don't know."

Dr William Obenden, a GP at York Medical Group, said the surgery had referred patients to hospital to have stomach operations when all other methods to help them had failed.

"People are only referred for surgery when they have tried all the other forms of losing weight - including medication," he said.

"We've referred a few people for it - some people go for it, some are scared by the post operative recovery. I'm pleased it's available locally."

Dr McGregor said York was lucky to have a stomach surgery expert available locally to perform the complex operations.

"I think the people were always there but they weren't being offered it as a treatment before," he said.

What can you do about it?

THE Government's recent report, Forecasting Obesity To 2010, gives a picture of what obesity levels in England may be if present trends continue unchanged.

The report estimates that by 2010, Yorkshire and Humberside could be the fattest region in the country, with nearly a third of all adults in the area clinically obese.

That would see more than 1.35 million people at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses.

Obesity greatly increases chances of heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and reduced life expectancy.

It is best treated by eating a healthy diet, with lots of fruit and vegetables, and taking regular exercise.

In extreme cases, doctors can also prescribe drugs such as Orlistat and Sibutramine.

Some people with a high body mass index can be offered surgery, but it is only considered if significant efforts have been made with other weight-loss techniques.

Surgery is in three categories:

Take advice from Abi

EARLIER this year we reported how children in Selby and York could be in line for stomach surgery on the NHS - with 7,000 estimated to be obese.

Inspiring North Yorkshire school girl Abi Nelson was one teenager who was determined not to let her weight problem get the better of her.

Abi, now 14, was 16 stone at the age of 13 - but after religiously going to Slimming World classes for 18 months, she has now lost more than three stone.

Abi said the prospect of 50,000 obese people in York alone in 2010 was "quite scary".

"It's a big number," she said. "If people have got a weight problem now, they shouldn't wait and think they'll start next week, because they won't. If they want to lose weight, and they need to lose weight, they should just lose it.

"If they don't, everybody is going to be obese, everybody is going to have horrible health problems. It's going to be worse for them in the long run if they don't do something about it now."