The increase in body size crosses nations, age, class, race and ethnicity (Jeffery and Linde 2005: 55). Over the last two to three decades ‘overnutrition and obesity1 have been transformed from relatively minor public health issues that primarily affect the most affluent societies to a major threat to public health that is being increasingly seen throughout the world’ (Seidell 2005: 3). Sixty-one per cent of Americans are overweight, and 20 per cent are obese: about 25 per cent of all Americans under the age of 19 are overweight or obese (Critser 2003: 4). The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, ranked Britain’s overweight and obesity rate (62 per cent) in 2006 as the worst in Europe and the third worst in the world, behind Mexico (69.5 per cent) and the United States (67.3 per cent).2 The prevalence of obesity in the UK has trebled since the 1980s: 22 per cent of men and 23.5 per cent of women are now obese and well over half of all adults are either overweight or obese – almost 24 million adults. In addition, overweight and obesity are also increasing in children: according to the 2006 Health Survey for England, almost 31 per cent of boys and 29 per cent of girls aged 2-15 fall into these categories.3 In the United States, around 20 per cent of 6-8 year olds and 30 per cent of 12-14 year olds are obese or overweight. The trend is similar throughout the European Union (EU), from Finland (47.7 per cent) in the north to Spain (51.1 per cent) in the south: children and adults are getting fatter (Seidell 2005: 15-16). Excess avoirdupois will be a long-term problem.