There might be some truth in the statistics above, but the opinions expressed with them are demeaning and disrespectful towards the overweight.
Only thing missing is a plan to get rid of them ASAP!

It is classist, racist and sizeist.
What about some respect for all members of society

Maria, London,

junk food is taxed - sweets chocolates etc - anything which is not essential has VAT on it. Anyone who eats junk food and takeaways all the time already pays more tax than those of us who cook from raw ingredients.

Jill, Spalding, England

Stop their benefits then.
If they are working and paying tax then it's their business as they are paying NI for healthcare for the problems they are generating for themselves.
If they are on benefits as I suspect most are, then once they get really fat stop paying them to sit there and get fatter.

Thalia, London,

How many women (under 40) have hobbies like sewing, knitting, jam making,painting, or baking these days? It's difficult to keep snacking if your hands are busy.
Men used to tinker with bikes, cars, woodworking, play sports. Parents took kids to the park, play chase, fly kites, kick balls around.

sandra, alicante, spain

Simple. Must promote excercise, tax additives, reinforce stigma and reduce accessibility of govt. services for obese. Naturally fat can obtain cards from doctor. Political will not a problem, inefficiency and ideals obstacles.

J. Kaur, London, GB

They also die younger so they don't cost "squillions" in "care" homes for the elderly!

Cecil Barton, Erdington, UK

Ignorance and over consumption of man made junk = obesity.complex issues, including emotional, contribute.This is the same across the classes, but the poor are generally more vulnerable in the western world.Stop the disgusting 'food' industry, exercise and eat real food in stomach- sized portions.

David, Andover, England

Life has gotten more hectic & we have put more 'junk' in our food. Even the good food. We have more sit down jobs. It just makes sense we'd get fatter. Less exercise + more fillers like HFCS, etc. = fatter people.
By the way, I am considered upper middle income and I am about 100 lbs. overweight.

Jenn, Centerview MO, USA

Ahem, can I be the exception to prove the rule then? Educated to post grad level. Good income, nice house, two cars, horses and a yacht (that keep us fit) + foreign walking holidays to boot. I could do with losing three stone though and hubby the same and we pay a hell of a lot of income tax too!

Laura, Aberdeen, Scotland

I can't accept that the poor are more obese because they have more stress. How can they afford the food? No, the problem is that we have to get more out of life than just eating!

ian cheese, london, uk

It's STRESS, people, that starts the cycle! Poorer people have more of it .
Wealthy people have less of it, and articles of this elitist ilk just add to it.
Go read some fair studies, and stay out of things you don't comprehend.

KAren Curran, Huntington, USA

Mark, London: I would assume that with MAYONNAISE (i.e. PURE FAT) the addition of a bit of sugar does not add too much to the overall calory-content....

Adrian, London, UK

Surely obesity can only be tackled by fat people eating substantially less. There may well be a link between relative wealth and obesity but this is not because cheaper foods are typically more fattening. It is because, proportionately, more lazy people are fat and on low incomes or benefits.

andrew, bristiol,

These are generalisations, so the fat exceptions to the rule screaming 'I'm middle class AND fat' can calm their sweaty selves down. Poverty & obesity are directly linked "These days you can easily tell people’s precise socioeconomic bracket and body weight by the contents of their trolleys" Spot on

Tom, London, UK

Siri, head back on your shoulders !! Veggies are cheap, pasta is cheap, I am mainly veggie and live real cheap ( by choice ). Processed food, sugary , salty fried snacks are the problem - I had moroccan lentils and eggs last night - cost pennies - required imagination tho !Lazy consumers get fat !!

kiwibob, auckland,

How come you can't buy mayonnaise that doesn't have sugar added?

Were I a food manufacturer, and if I wanted to make as much money as possible, as easily as possible, I might set up a sugar plantation and treat my customers like my slaves.

I could then afford to dine with Jamie Oliver perhaps.

Mark, London,

Tim has the right idea. But the government will never do that, because it's the rich companies who contribute to Labour party funds and who also produce the fat/salty/junk foods that make so much profit.

Clive, Monterrey, Mexico

Western civilisation is decadent, lazy, fat and pointless. I'm afraid the only real cure is some kind of Fascism that forces people to exercise or fines the slobbish.

keith, wigan, uk

I agree that task forces as such cannot deal with obesity. A different, and more potent, approach would be for obese people to pay a higher rate of income tax than people who are not obese.

Michael, Ascot,

I'm with Marie Antoinette and Minette on this one.

Marionette, Felpham,

I had a takeaway last week as I was doing major DIY and it cost me £8. The next day I did some 'lazy' cooking - pasta and pesto sauce. Cost about £1.50, including gas. I learnt my lesson. We're not as busy as we like to think we are.

I blame trendy TV 'chefs'.

Bon appetite.

John, London,

People who haven't a job have time to gobble all that they can get hold of whereas people who have a job and have to go to work haven't the time to be devouring all hours of the day and are therefore, not fat..

Hill, Bergerac, France

Perhaps all of this embrace curvy (read obese) women rubbish in the media is to blame. Rather than spend so much effort making size 18's look "good", help them loose weight. Having a fat tummy/bum is not healthy! There is no social pressure anymore. Any excuse to carry on being lazy!

Amy, Portsmouth, UK

"Obesity cannot be defeated by taskforces, better labelling on packets or investing in health accreditation schemes"
Why should it be the business of the state (euphemistically described as "society") or anyone else to defeat fatness. It's up to the individual and no one else. Butt out!

Richard, Totnes,

Tax food with bad carbs, refined sugur and a high fat content, then subsidise pre-prepared fruit and veg so that it is cheap and quick to cook. Reward supermarkets who increase sales of healthy food in poor areas by a sliding scale of tax breaks for selling a greater proportion of healthy food.

Tim, Edinburgh,

i think is all about education. watch some jamie oliver on tv, he got the answer...ignorance...

jose manuel, Guildford, England

It is narrow-minded and foolish to assume that one can instantly recognise one's social background owing to the contents of one's shopping basket.
My family eat junk food like additive-addicted horses; none of us are overweight.
The class system is a feeble attempt to justify problems within society

Kathryn, Colchester,

In realy poor countries ie in the far east and africa poor people are not fat, they are too busy surviving and they propbably eat more healthily than the "poor " in the west who still manange to afford fast food and ready made meals etc. So it seems little to do with income as said before.

simon, arezzo, italy

John in Bangkok, yes, it's true that the national diet was healthier under rationing. We, the generation who grew up then, are the healthiest generation there's ever been. Also, people were much more active as a matter of course, walking to school, cycling and of course, sweets were rationed!

Margaret Stoll, Rochford, Essex, England

I hope you're not falling into the trap of ignorant buffoons who confuse "associated with" and "directly related" with CAUSED BY.

Obesity is caused by stuffing too much food for your body to handle effectively into your mouth, and nothing else.

Leave them to it and pay for treatment.

Laura Roberts, London, UK

Im sure that some people who are overweight find it difficult to lose weight but I suspect that many of them know what they need to do in order to address the problem. Stop eating stuff such as "fast food" rubbish and eat a varied diet with fruit and vegetables. Oh, and exercise a little.

Paul Greaves, Mexborough, England

Buying veg, meat, eggs, fruit, etc from the supermarket and preparing it oneself is easier, cheaper and healthier than than takeways. Cutting the booze and giving up smoking will save a huge amount. Fat people, assuming they are of normal intelligence, can do all this easily - if they want to.

R Mason, London, UK

'What prevents obesity is a good income, a good education and good opportunities. Prosperity, in short'

Utter rubbish what prevents obesity is sensible eating, not gluttony.

D Case, Newquay,

Social class is a shorthand for education level, wealth, job, etc. So, the well educated with good jobs are more likely to be eat sensibly and be healthy because they are more likely to be intelligent, self disciplined and sensible and that is why the middle classes are, on average, slimmer.

R Mason, London, UK

The obese are already a large minority.
It is projected that soon they will be a majority.
When, not if, someone has the idea of founding a political party dedicated to abolishing the discrimination presently perpetrated against this group the shapist establishment will be on their way out

Mike Davidson, Singapore,

I am well-educated, middle-class and middle-aged. So how come I'm overweight? I thought it was years of working at a desk, having machines to do jobs which used to involve physical effort, and the constant availaility of cheap and tasty snacks...

Annabelle, Cape Town, SA

My personal belief is that we descend from tree living Apes whereby our diet consisted of leaves, fruit, bugs, nuts the occasional egg or bird etc, In desperation a swoop to the ground may produce something to satisfy the true carnivorous side of nature.
Carbohydrates & root vegetables?

David Isherwood, London,

The report highlights Wales as an obese region. I am sure low pay contributes to this problem. Working for a minimum wage means that parents must work long hours to bring in enough money. Hungry kids coming home to an empty house pick up fast food on the way. The habit grows along with waistlines.

Colin, Carmarthen, Wales

Oban is not a poor area. Also, the people with children last week would not be locals - Scotland went back to school the previous week.

Jonathan, Southend, Argyll

I'm from a middle-class family, went to a grammar school and a Russell group university. I earn over £35k. Yet, my BMI is over 30. What utter contempt is shown towards the working class. Yes, some of it may be down to a lack f education, preference for convenience foods etc..

Anna, London,

Whilst there must be no nanny state to dictate adult behaviour, the government must step in to act as nanny when parents fail their children

martin, sheffield, uk

Its easy to say Fat people should stop eating, its also easy to say that politicians should stop telling lies. We all know that its the best remedy but its very unlikely to happen.

David McFarlane, Newcastle upon tyne, UK

I believe it's correct that obesity is a so-called class indicator. At least, research has found out that this is the fact in Norway. That doesn't mean that there aren't any fat rich people or slim "poor" people, of course. But the trend is clear. Healthy food is much more expensive than junk food.

Siri, Bergen, Norway

People overeat before a famine. After the mammoth was downed people would 'stuff' themselves and do it again and again. Storing bulk before the food shortage kicks in. The supermarkets are a herd of downed mammoths. Soon they'll be dead and gone. Then the half fat people will turn on the thin!

kevin, Lincoln, UK

Give us a break! It has very little to do with income. There are many poorer people in the world who are not fat. I suggest you like beyond the UK. Being fat is often the result of a lifestyle; lack of exercise, over-eating, and generally not being able to cook a healthy meal.

Jack, Bristol,

Anyone can refute your first paragraph simply by pointing out the scores of fat, well paid, well educated men and women they know. On the other hand, when I was growing up in a working class part of the North East, practically nobody was fat. Too much food is what makes you fat, not your class.

Tam Earl-Aine, Cheltenham,

I remember seeing a photo of a crowded lido in the post-war period. Every single person looked lithe and fit. The only conclusion can be that the nation's diet under rationing was better than it is now.

John, Bangkok, Thailand

This is highly inaccurate. Here in southern California everybody is rich, and some of the fattest people I've ever seen are right here in my town. They are all wealthy and all educated. My parents tell me when they were my age it was NOTHING like this. This age of sedentary living is to blame.

Eric, Laguna Niguel, CA, USA

Since we are now more urban, citizens have had less to do to keep them from fat. Our ancestors had to get up at 6 and spend the day WORKING (farm etc), then go to bed at 10 or later. Historically only 'prosperous' people were fat. Now people with no farm can't afford a gym membership to compensate.

Rose, CA, USA

I wonder if it's simpler than that. What prevents obesity, I suspect, is a job. How many of those women in the Oban Tesco had a job, do you think?

More research is needed, by Labour-voting academicians.

Christopher Chantrill, Seattle, USA

prosperity prevents obesity?
in my school in 1962 (a much poorer time than 2008), of 600 hundred students only one was remotely obese and she had a blood disorder. instead we all walked or cycled to school, ate school dinners and did sport 4 times a week- because we had to.

john winter, bath,