MORE than a fifth of adults in Suffolk are obese - and only one in nine people do the recommended level of exercise, new figures reveal today.Nearly one adult in four smokes - with the habit killing around 1,200 people in the county each year -less than 30 per cent eat healthily, and one in six binge drink, the Government-sponsored statistics show.

MORE than a fifth of adults in Suffolk are obese - and only one in nine people do the recommended level of exercise, new figures reveal today.

Nearly one adult in four smokes - with the habit killing around 1,200 people in the county each year -less than 30 per cent eat healthily, and one in six binge drink, the Government-sponsored statistics show.

In Ipswich, the estimated number of physically active adults places it among the ten worst areas in England.

Waveney has the worst level of obesity in Suffolk, with 26.5pc of adults categorised as obese. It is followed by Ipswich, with Suffolk Coastal having the lowest rate.

The figures are included in health profiles for the East of England, which were published this morning.

Put together by the Association of Public Health Observatories and funded by the Department of Health, they are designed to give a snapshot of the population's health in each area of the region.

Many of the lifestyle indicators suggest people in Suffolk lead lives that are at least as healthy as the national average, but health bosses warned against being complacent.

Dr Peter Bradley, director of public health for the county, said: “We cannot be complacent about people's lifestyle issues, such as smoking and excessive drinking, as they are a problem. The more we are able to support people to adopt a healthy lifestyle - to take more exercise and eat healthily - the better.

“There is a variation in health profiles across Suffolk. Some communities, such as Ipswich, Lowestoft and other isolated areas, need more support to bring them at least in line for the average for Suffolk.”