INCREASING obesity is threatening to derail plans to improve public health, a survey has revealed.

The lifestyle survey by Tees Health Authority has revealed a steep increase in the number of severely overweight people.

It runs completely against Government plans to improve the general health of the population.

There is also concern at high levels of binge drinking on Teesside.

More than 6,500 people filled in a detailed questionnaire about their lifestyles in a bid to see whether health had improved on Teesside since the previous survey in 1995.

While the new survey shows an increase in healthy eating and a slight reduction in smoking there is alarm at the increase in people who are seriously overweight and a reduction in the number of people who take part in moderate or strenuous physical exercise.

The figures showed that 16 per cent of men and 18 per cent of women were obese, a condition which increases the risk of cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure.

This represents a 60 per cent increase on the 1995 figure.

Half of the men surveyed said they were inactive compared to 36 per cent in 1995. There was a slightly smaller increase in activity among women, from 46 to 51 per cent.

Professor Paul Johnstone, director of public health for Tees Health Authority, said, "The Lifestyle Survey contains some encouraging results for us. However, it also shows that there is still plenty of work to be done to improve peoples health on Teesside. I'm confident that through the Health Action Zone and working with other agencies, we can build on the good work that has been done over the past few years," he said.

Teesside has some of the highest levels of heart disease, cancers and stroke in England.

The survey also reveals some encouraging improvements for smoking, diet and the awareness of risk to health.

Dr Mark Reilly, epidemiologist at Tees Health Authority and the author of the survey said, "The proportion of men who smoke has fallen since 1995," said Mark. "Moreover, one in two smokers say they want to stop smoking and almost all of this group have tried to do so at some stage".

"It is the awareness of the risks of smoking that is really encouraging and the fact there has been no increase in smoking."