SUFFOLK: More than 12,000 people ended up in hospital in this region last year because they were too fat.
SUFFOLK: More than 12,000 people ended up in hospital in this region last year because they were too fat.
Women were more likely than men to be treated in hospital because they were obese and three times as likely to have weight-loss surgery.
The figures for 2008-9 have been released by the NHS Information Centre. In the east of England, 12,184 people were hospitalised for conditions linked to fatness - 7,063 women and 5,121 men.
As a percentage of the population this is 6pc higher than the national average.
The figures include people who were hospitalised for other reasons, such as joint or heart problems, but had obesity as a factor in their illness.
Cases of weight loss surgery have doubled since 2006-7.
In this region last year there were 243 cases of surgery for weight loss, known as bariatric surgery, which includes stomach stapling and gastric bands. Of these, 182 were women and 61 were men.
The east of England had the joint lowest numbers in the country and half the rate of the national average, although this may because some people travel for specialist treatment.
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