Britain has become an overweight nation. Too many people are carrying around more pounds than they should be doing, putting a strain on their hearts in the long term and courting other health problems such as type 2 diabetes, strokes and even cancer.

Experts point out that the habits which dictate the shape we become as adults begin in childhood. Youngsters who eat too much junk food and spend long hours sitting in front of a television, a computer or a PlayStation are likely to pile on weight which, unless they make a great effort later, will stay with them into adulthood, potentially affecting not only their quality of life but also their life expectancy.

It is worrying that in the Bradford district an estimated 42,480 people aged between two and 24 are either overweight or even obese, with an on-going survey by Bradford City Teaching Primary Care Trust suggesting that a fifth of people aged 15 to 75 are officially rated as obese.

Given those figures, it hardly seems necessary for everyone's body mass index to be calculated to gain an insight into the true scale of the problem - an exercise which has already begun in Bradford under the Council's Health Improve-ment Committee obesity review group. We already know what it will discover: that too many people are too fat.

Rather more important, surely, is the proposed appointment of an official to tackle obesity. Action is needed rather than more detailed information, to encourage all Bradford's youngsters to adopt a healthy lifestyle which will enable them, and the district, to face the future with greater confidence.