Are you Obese? Check your type

Scientists in the UK have identified six types of obese people -young males who were heavy drinkers, middle aged individuals who were unhappy and anxious, older people who despite living with physical health conditions were happy, younger healthy females, older affluent healthy adults and individuals with poor health. “Policies designed to tackle obesity target individuals, but a focus on just the group as a whole is not very efficient,“ said Dr Mark Green, who led the study.

Researchers suggested messages about alcohol reduction could help tackle obesity in young adults, while for middle aged individuals who are unhappy and anxious, an intervention involving increasing exercise mixed with psycho-social counselling could be beneficial. Young healthy females may not need any intervention. For those in the poorest health group, the study showed that modest goals may be needed and for the affluent healthy elderly, weight loss could be a priority.