New statistics have revealed that Scotland is the world's second most overweight nation and that one in four Scottish adults are classed as being obese.

Coming in behind the USA, Scotland's obesity levels among adults has increased by some 46 per cent, according to the report by the Scottish Public Health Observatory.

In news that may be of interest to elderly people, obesity was found to be particularly bad among men aged between 35 and 64.

Women between the ages of 35 and 44 were also identified as having especially bad levels of obesity.

The authors of the report estimate that the problem costs Scotland some £171 million on an annual basis.

Mary Scanlon, Scottish Conservative health spokesperson, commented: "There needs to be an awareness of the damaging effects created by a poor diet and insufficient exercise and incentives to provide balanced, nutritional meals and to encourage an active lifestyle."

In other health news, doubts were recently cast on the benefits of winter flu vaccinations for elderly people by scientists from George Washington University in Washington DC.