British Women Are The Most Overweight In Europe

    BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, May 02, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- British women have been found to be the heaviest in Europe, with an average BMI of 26.2.

A body mass index of this level, which is calculated by dividing someone's weight in kilograms by their height in metres, is regarded as overweight. A BMI over 30 is clinically obese.

According to the study by the National Institute of Demographic Studies in France, French women are the slimmest with an average BMI of 23.2, and are joined by healthy countries Italy and Austria. Women in the Netherlands, Greece and Portugal's are also, on average, ranked as overweight.

It would seem that women in the UK are well aware of the issue. The Hospital Group, the UK's biggest provider of weightloss surgery, has seen a 73.9% increase in interest in weight loss surgery, with a staggering 12,848 people seeking surgery in 2008. In 2007, 7,385 people enquired into gastric procedures.

The surgery, including gastric bands, gastric bypasses and gastric balloons can be used alongside liposculpture - also known as liposuction - and adominoplasty - the common tummy tuck - to sculpt and perfect your body and give you a healthier lifestyle.

Such is the interest in The Hospital Group's weight loss procedures, bookings have increased to levels above that of the NHS.

While the NHS reported that it had performed 2,724 weight-loss operations in 2008, The Hospital Group performed a total of 3,015 gastric procedures in the same period.

David Ross, Chief Executive of The Hospital Group said: "Barely a day passes without a new study or set of statistics shaming us Brits into adopting a healthier lifestyle. A gastric procedure can be the crucial first step in gaining a healthier lifestyle, enabling people to get out and exercise.

"At The Hospital Group, people can be assured of a dedicated, professional service, with astounding success rates and a limited waiting time. The huge rise seen industry-wide shows the new demand for weight loss surgery, and it would seem the NHS just can't cope with this demand."

The Hospital Group is committed to providing the very highest standards and all procedures are performed by an expert medical team in state-of-the-art facilities that are second to none. Since The Hospital Group was established in 1992, it has grown from a small pharmaceutical company to one of the UK's foremost cosmetic surgery and weight loss surgery providers.

For further information of The Hospital Group's range of gastric procedures, surgery-seekers should visit the website thehospitalgroup.org or call our patient care coordinators on 0845 762 6727.

# # #