February 17/Coventry, England/Coventry Evening Telegraph -- According to a study, eight out of 10 men and almost seven in 10 women will be overweight or obese by 2020.

While data suggests childhood obesity may be levelling off, the picture for adults is "less optimistic."

Not only will people be fatter, but the incidence of diabetes, stroke and heart disease will dramatically increase, the report added.

Led by Professor Klim McPherson from Oxford University, who is also chair of the National Heart Forum, the study updates predictions in a 2007 Foresight report, which was based on data from 1993 to 2004.

The latest research uses complete figures from 1993 to 2007 to predict future levels of obesity in England.

The study said, "Unlike the recent report on child obesity, which showed some indications of a plateauing or at least a significant reduction in the rate of obesity, the future projections for adults are less optimistic."

Some 41% of men aged 20-65 will be obese by 2020, and 40% will be overweight, the new predictions show.

Some 36% of women will be obese, and 32% will be overweight.

Among those aged 40-65, 44% of men and 38% of women will be obese, while 40% of men and 32% of women will be overweight.  

From the March 1, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition