Obesity rates higher for Brits: Survey - CANOE

British women are the most obese in Europe, according to a new survey.

Nearly 24% of women in the UK are obese, followed closely by Malta, Latvia and Estonia, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. It compared obesity levels in 19 countries from 2008/2009.

The UK's high levels of obesity are in stark contrast to those in countries such as Romania, where just 8% of women were classed as obese.

British men didn't fare much better.

About 22% were classified as obese, and again, Malta ranked second in that group.

For both women and men aged 18 years and over, Romania, Italy, Bulgaria and France boasted the lowest obesity rates, the survey showed.

Last month, England's Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said that Britons should be eating five billion fewer calories a day than at present.

According to the most recent statistics from the Public Health Agency of Canada, approximately 25% of Canadian adults are obese.

Last week, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development said that 25% of all Canadian children are now considered overweight - one of the highest rates of obesity among developed countries.