Male private medical cover holders getting bigger?

Private medical cover providers may find that they are providing a greater number of treatments for illnesses related to obesity, new research suggests.

According to scientists at Oxford University, the average weight of a male living in Britain has increased considerably in recent years.

Their research, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, shows that the average man is 7.7kg heavier in 2000 than he was in 1986.

The increase was put down to an increase in calorie intake combined with a lack of exercise.

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the research, warned that obesity is a major risk factor in illnesses such as heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

"This research suggests a ticking time bomb for male health, and underlines the importance of both regular exercise and a balanced diet in keeping your weight down and your heart healthy," he said.

It follows a recent report from the NHS Information Centre which also showed rising obesity rates with almost a quarter of adult males (24 per cent) being obese in 2008, compared to just 13 per cent in 1993.

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