Chelmsford West MP Simon Burns has welcomed a new Government report on the growing problem of obesity.
Mr Burns, who is shadow health minister and a member of the health select committee, was reacting to shocking findings which revealed a child of three had died from heart failure due to extreme obesity.
Obesity has grown by almost 400 per cent in the last 25 years, and three-quarters of the adult population are now overweight or obese.
England has witnessed the fastest growth of obesity in Europe and childhood obesity has tripled in 20 years.
Mr Burns revealed: "Obesity is linked with a wide range of diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, renal failure, osteoarthritis and psychological damage.
"The devastating consequences of the epidemic of obesity are likely to have a profound impact over the next century. Obesity will soon supersede tobacco as the greatest cause of premature death in this country."
He added: "The health inquiry is a wake-up call for the Government to show that the causes of ill health need to be tackled by many departments, not just health."
Published Tuesday June 1, 2004