Welsh Health Survey: 58% of adults overweight or obese

The latest Welsh Health Survey showed 22% of adults in Wales were obese

More than half of adults in Wales are still overweight or obese, according to the latest Welsh Health Survey.

The results showed 58% of adults were still classified as overweight or obese, and 22% were obese.

Health Minister Mark Drakeford warned lifestyle choices were too often damaging people's health and placing a huge burden on the NHS.

The survey showed a continued decline in the proportion of people in Wales who smoke to 20%.

Helen Birtwhistle, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said the figures showed a "significant number of us are either overweight or obese and are not taking part in enough physical activity".

Other findings in the 2014 survey of 14,000 adults and 3,000 children, include:

• 40% of adults reported drinking above the guidelines on at least one day in the past week

• 32% of adults reported eating five or more portions of fruit and vegetables the previous day

• About 31% of adults reported being physically active on five or more days in the previous week

• 17% of adults reported they had talked to a GP about their own health in the past two weeks

• 9% of adults reported being admitted to hospital as an inpatient in the last 12 months and 32% reported attending hospital as an outpatient

• 94% of children reported having very good or good general health and 21% reported having a long-standing illness, including 6% with a limiting long-standing illness

Mr Drakeford said the Welsh government had a responsibility to create the right conditions in which people could live full and healthy lives, but everyone also had a duty to look after ourselves.

"The NHS is there to help us in our time of need but with that comes a responsibility to use its resources wisely," he said.

Dr Ruth Hussey, Chief Medical Officer for Wales, said: "While I take encouragement in the gradual improvement seen in our nation's health, the reality is that too many of us are still drinking too much, eating too much and not being active enough."