Obese people have a blind spot when it comes to their own weight problem, according to a small University of North Carolina study that showed only 15 per cent of obese people view themselves that way. By contrast, 71 per cent of normal-weight people and 73 per cent of people classified as overweight were accurate in their self-assessments. The study, by nutrition researcher Kim Truesdale, looked at 104 adults, ages 45 to 64.

This is not surprising data considering the word “epidemic” is used so often now to describe the growing number of obese people across the world. Who is to blame? The food manufacturers, the fast food industry, or the consumers? One thing is for certain - this lack of self-awareness can put one’s health at great risk.