The UK’s fattest town where 80% of adults are obese

Officials are battling to ban junk food ads in “Britain’s fattest town” in a bid to cut down on growing obesity rates. Almost 80% of adults in former steel town of Ebbw Vale in south Wales are classed as overweight or obese and councillors say the bulging waistlines are a “critical issue”.

A whopping 73% of all restaurants in the Welsh valleys town are takeaways – and some locals are known for eating fast food three times a day. Officials hope that by banning signage on council-owned land advertising ultra-processed and high fat, salt, and sugar foods it will show they are “serious” about the health crisis. Women living in the local area of Blaenau Gwent have the lowest life expectancy in all of the UK and men have the lowest in Wales.

And statistics from the Welsh Government show 78% of all people in the county are overweight with a whopping 37% of those obese.

Councillor Sonia Behr raised the motion with Blaenau Gwent Council saying that the signs currently belonging to takeaways were very effective.

She said: “They catch your attention and you think I’ll drive in and have some chips or whatever.”

She wanted to find out what the legal position is to see if boards belonging to restaurants can be “restricted in size and brightness.”

Council leader Cllr Steve Thomas said the obesity issue was “critical” but the motion needed to be reworded so it could work properly.

Cllr Helen Cunningham said: “By taking this forward it shows we are serious about addressing the health inequalities that so badly affect our borough.”

Councillors agreed the amended motion.