THE number of registered obese patients appears to have climbed by almost one third in Swindon in just a few years.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show an apparent massive surge in obese patients on GPs’ lists between April 2007 and September last year.

In this period, the number of patients classed by their doctor as obese grew from 14,781 to 19,176 – a rise of just under 30 per cent.

But NHS Swindon said that this was largely to do with the fact that it has asked GPs to monitor the problem more closely.

And since Swindon’s population is growing anyway, this would contribute to the swelling number.

However, it warned that 19,176 is probably well below the true figure.

It said: “This is not a systematic measuring of patients and therefore likely to be an underestimate, but shows adult patients measured as obese by GPs (we do not have data on overweight).

“Numbers have increased mainly due to an improvement in recording obesity by the GPs, and are likely also to be in line with general population increases in Swindon.”

Dr Peter Swinyard, 55, chairman of the Family Doctor Association, practicing at Phoenix Surgery, Toothill, said: “I think we are all the more conscious of the need to record patients’ vital statistics, and that’s reflected in the figures. I think this is a perceived change and not a real one.

“Sitting every day in the surgery and looking at people coming through the door, there are quite a number of people who are considerably overweight.

“But it was ever thus. I don’t think we’re seeing more and more and more fat people, I really don’t. I think we’re recording people’s data more effectively.”

But he said obesity was indeed a problem, and far too big to influence at a GP level.

Instead there should be government-wide education campaigns because too many residents think “mashed potato is something you buy in a packet from Tesco”.

The figures cover 16-year-olds and over who are registered with GPs, and the number of 19,176 obese residents equates to about one-in-10 of the town’s population.

The data comes just a fortnight after The Adver reported on one councillor’s bid to cut obesity by banning new takeaways from opening up within a quarter-of-a-mile of schools.

Coun Dale Heenan (Con, Covingham and Nythe) proposed the measure, and is getting planning officers to look into the possibility and report back around the New Year.

And Dr Swinyard said he was lending his backing to Coun Heenan’s campaign.

He said: “If someone has easy access to cheap, tasty, high-calorie, low-value meals, it’s human nature to go for something tasty and cheap rather than something that’s healthy.

“I’ll continue to lend my weight to it, yes.”

Coun Heenan himself could not be reached.

Obesity is measured as having a Body Mass Index of 30 or above.