Nearly two-thirds of adults in Suffolk are overweight or obese, according to new figures.

For the first time, nationwide data has revealed the fattest and thinnest parts of England and the scale of the obesity crisis.

The study, carried out by Public Health England, found that 65.3% of adults in the county were either overweight or obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or over – above the national rate of 63.8%.

The fattest region is the North East, where 68% of people were overweight or obese in 2012. The thinnest was London, with a rate of 57.3%.

Dr Gina Radford, centre director of the Anglia and Essex branch of Public Health England, said there is no “silver bullet” to reduce obesity but stressed local authorities must seize on the new research to improve their methods of tackling the problem.

“It is an issue that requires action at a national, local, family and individual level,” she said.

“(The new) information will help local authorities to understand the extent of the problem in their area and support their on-going efforts to tackle overweight and obesity and improve the health of their local population.

“Public Health England is committed to helping tackle the levels of people who are overweight and obese by supporting our local authorities to develop a broad programme of action to reduce levels of excess weight.

“Local authorities are ideally placed to develop co-ordinated action across their departments, services and partner organisations to tackle overweight and obesity in the local population.

“This new data will enable local councils to monitor progress towards the national ambition of achieving a downward trend in excess weight by 2020.”

People who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Health problems associated with being overweight or obese costs the NHS more than £5 billion every year.