A CONSERVATIVE councillor from Bolton who admits that he is seriously overweight is calling on the Government to do more to cut Britain’s rising obesity levels.

Cllr Andy Morgan, who represents Hulton ward and is the local Conservative group’s health spokesman, says more help should be available for people who are worried about their weight, but not yet clinically obese.

The councillor claims he was let down by the NHS when he went to his own doctor for help.

He said: “It takes a lot to go to the doctors and admit to being obese, but when I did all I got back was ‘I’ve heard the cabbage diet is good’ and that was the end of it.

“Yes, we are letting ourselves down by being overweight and it’s my choice what I eat, but if someone makes that big decision to access services, even if they are just a couple of stones overweight, the resources should be there.

“It seems it is only when someone becomes morbidly obese — to the point where it is restricting what they can physically do — that there is any real intervention or support.

“If people take a massive step forward by admitting to the doctor they are overweight and need help, only to find there is not enough support, it is a major let down and they may not go again.”

Cllr Morgan’s comments come after Bolton was revealed to be the ninth worst of 16 areas in the North-west for obesity among adults.

A study of patients that had registered with GP surgeries in the borough within the last 15 months found that 7.9 per cent of them had a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or over, which is clinically obese.

The body mass index compares height with weight. People who are the ideal weight for their height have a BMI rating between 18.5 and 24.9.

A separate, wider study conducted by Bolton Primary Care Trust found that the problem was much worse, with 17.5 per cent of people living in the borough being clinically obese.

For more on this story see Saturday's edition of the paper.