Nearly all obese people are in denial about their size

Most obese people are in denial about their weight, refusing to believe they are 'obese' or even 'very overweight', new research has found.

In one of the first studies of its kind to examine perceptions of obesity, fewer than 10 per cent of those who are clinically obese accept they have a serious weight problem.

A survey carried out in 2012 examined 2,000 adults and found only 11 per cent of obese women accurately acknowledged they were 'obese'.

Most of the women questioned believed they were either 'very overweight' or 'just right', Cancer Research said.

Among men taking part, only seven per cent correctly judged their own weight, accepting they were 'obese'.

Sixteen per cent of obese male responders classified themselves as 'very overweight'.

Researchers discovered only 10 per cent of those taking part knew the Body Mass Index threshold for obesity.

However those who knew a BMI of between 30 and 39.9 made a person obese were more likely to define themselves as such.

Experts fear as bigger sizes become the new 'normal', people are less likely to recognise the health problems linked to their weight.

Professor Jane Wardle, co-author of the study and director of the Cancer Research UK centre at UCL, said: 'It's a real worry that people don't recognise that their weight places them in the obese category.

'It means they aren't aware they are at increased risk of a number of health problems including cancer.

'This is despite increased media coverage of obesity, and public health campaigns aimed at improving public awareness.'

She added that the term 'obese' is often considered derogatory, which may be why so many people reject it.

'Mass media often illustrate obesity in a way that people find offensive, with pictures of bulging beer bellies and huge behinds, so people shy away from these images.

But we also asked people whether they felt they were "very overweight" and the majority of those who were obese did not accept this term either.

'This is a real problem, as it means they are unlikely to identify with health messages on the subject of weight.

She added: 'We need to establish better ways for health professionals to address this sensitive subject and communicate with people whose health would benefit from positive lifestyle changes.'

Around 18,000 cases of cancer in the UK each year are linked to being overweight or obese.

Excess weight is known to increase the risk of several types of cancer including cancers of the breast in post-menopausal women, bowel, womb, oesophagus, pancreas, kidney and gallbladder. 

Excess weight is known to increase the risk of several types of cancer including cancers of the breast, pictured under the microscope, bowel, womb, oesophagus, pancreas, kidney and gallbladder

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's head of health information, said: 'This study provides an interesting insight into how people who are overweight view themselves. 

'Carrying those extra pounds can have serious health implications. 

'Fat cells are active, releasing hormones and other chemicals that affect many parts of the body, and increase the risk of cancer.

'Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the most important ways of reducing the risk of cancer, for both men and women.

'It's so important that health messaging and awareness campaigns are as effective as possible in supporting people of all shapes and sizes to make healthy choices.'

...AND EVEN DOCTORS STRUGGLE TO IDENTIFY IF A PERSON IS OBESE 

In a separate study scientists in Liverpool discovered the majority of people, including doctors, are unable to visually identify whether a person is a healthy weight, overweight or obese.

Psychologists at the University of Liverpool asked participants to look at photographs of male models and categorise whether they are a healthy weight, overweight or obese according to World Health Organisation BMI guidelines.

They found the majority of people surveyed were unable to correctly identify the models' weight.

Instead they underestimated weight, often believing overweight men to be healthy.

In a related study, surveying healthcare professionals, researchers also found GPs and trainee GPs were unable to visually identify if a person was overweight or obese.

The scientists also examined whether increased exposure to overweight and obese people affected a person's ability to estimate the weight of a person.

Their findings suggested that exposure to heavier body weights may influence what people see as a normal and healthy weight and causes people to underestimate a person's weight.

Psychologist, Dr Eric Robinson, who conducted the research, said: 'We wanted to find out if people can identify a healthy, overweight or obese person just by looking at them.

'Primarily we found that people were often very inaccurate and this included trainee doctors and qualified doctors too. 

Moreover, we found that participants systematically underestimated when a person was overweight or obese.

'Our study of GPs also found a tendency to underestimate weight which has important implications as it means that overweight and obese patients could end up not being offered weight management support or advice.'

Recent studies have found that parents underestimate their overweight or obese child's weight and this could also act as a barrier to intervention.

Dr Robinson added: 'Over the last 30 years we have seen changes to population body weight, so examining how this has affected how we view our own and other people's body sizes is an interesting area of research.'

The UK has the highest level of obesity in Western Europe. 

Obesity levels in the UK have more than trebled in the last 30 years and, on current estimates, more than half the population could be obese by 2050. 

More than half of the adult population in the EU are overweight or obese.