U.K. women are most obese in Europe

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LONDON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- A study by the European Union shows the United Kingdom has the most obese women out of any country in Europe.

The European Union's data agency Eurostat found 23.9 percent of women in the United Kingdom were recorded as being obese from 2008 to 2009, the highest rate among 19 countries looked at, the BBC reported Saturday. Women in Malta were found to have the second-highest levels of female obesity with 21.1 percent.

Just over 22 percent of men in the United Kingdom were found to be obese, coming in second to Malta.

Italy, Bulgaria and France were found to have lower levels of obesity. In Italy, 9.3 percent of women and 11.3 percent of men were classified as obese.

The figures show the number of overweight and obese people increases with age in all of the 19 countries observed. The statistics also suggest the number of obese women falls as their level of education rises.

In October, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley launched a campaign to reduce obesity levels in England by 2020. Lansley said people need to be honest with themselves and watch more closely what they eat and drink.