By Tom Sanders, emeritus Professor of Nutrition & Dietetics, King's College London
Obesity affects a quarter of UK adults but what is of most concern is its burden on the NHS.
Severe obesity can cause sleep apnoea, where breathing is interrupted, and can be fatal if untreated. Patients with this disorder are often offered weight reducing bariatric surgery.
There has been a huge increase in primary referrals to the NHS for severe obesity, mainly in adults between 35 and 54.
The NHS is currently unable to cope with the increased demand for bariatric surgery.
However, an even greater burden to the NHS caused by obesity is type 2 diabetes, which carries long-term risks of heart attack, stroke, blindness, limb amputation and kidney failure.
The total number of obesity-related admissions rose from 29,237 in 2002/3 to 292,404 in 2012/13, mainly because of the increase in numbers with type 2 diabetes.
Obesity also increases the risk of cancer of the womb, large bowel and liver - as well as increasing the rate of wear and tear on the hip and knee joints.
Unless obesity can be successfully prevented, it will overwhelm the NHS.
Obesity is a consequence of depositing excess amounts of fat in the body and this only occurs when energy intake from food and drink (measured in calories or kilojoules on food labels) exceeds energy expenditure.
Women need about 2000 calories each day, men about 2500.
The major cause of the current epidemic is an increased calorie intake, although physical activity has also declined.
Foods high in fat and sugar are tasty and often the focus of much of the blame, but in many cases it is just eating too much (large portions) or eating and drinking (sugary drinks and alcohol) too frequently; even good food can make you fat if you eat too much!
Any diet that reduces energy intake will result in weight loss.
There are no magical combinations of foods that promote weight loss and don't be fooled into thinking that weight can be lost quickly.
Experience shows that women can lose up to 1kg (about 2lbs) in a week, and men about 1.5 kg (3lbs) if they cut their calorie intake to 1200-1400 calories a day.
This can be achieved either by not eating two days a week or by limiting the amount of carbohydrate containing foods (bread, cakes, biscuits, rice, pasta, pastry, potatoes and sugar), and avoiding deep-fried foods.
A little more weight is often lost in the first week on a diet but this is mainly due to loss of body water associated with lower stores of carbohydrate.
Excess weight lost by dieting is often regained as people revert to their old habits.
Maintaining a healthy weight means sticking to dietary rules for life and this is made much easier if food is eaten at fixed mealtimes and 'snacking on the hoof' is avoided.
Regular physical activity also helps prevent weight gain: aim to walk 30 minutes each day and engage in some more vigorous activity once or twice a week.
It is sensible to try to shed those extra kilos gained over Christmas by eating and drinking less over the coming months.
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