One of the more alarming statistics included in the assessment surrounds weight and obesity.

It says that a survey in 2016 and 2017 found that 64 per cent of adults were classified as having excess weight, and that included 25 per cent who were obese.

More than a third of children aged 10 or 11 were classified as being too heavy, with fully one in five being obese, and nearly a quarter of four and five year olds were found to be obese or overweight.

Weight problems are a key factor in adults developing type 2 diabetes, and that is also a key factor in mortality statistic, with adults with the condition 21 per cent more likely to die compared to adults without.

Coun Brian Ford, who is the borough council’s cabinet member for adult services says it’s a significant problem.

He said: “The assessment shows that Swindon is statistically pretty much in line with the rest of the country. We’re better than average on some things, and not so good on the others – but the problems and challenges we face are the same that the rest of the country has.”

Obesity and diabetes is one of those challenges, and Coun Ford does not pull his punches.

He said: “Type 2 diabetes significantly increases the chances of death for those who have it.

“I must say I consider in many cases it to be a self-inflicted injury – for those people who have put themselves in that position while being in full control of their faculties.

“If you’re an adult and you know what will happen and you continue to eat too much and drink too much, then you’re making yourself unwell.

“It’s a condition that can be very serious, and it’s costing the NHS an awful lot of money and it can often be reversed or controlled simply by losing a lot of weight.”

The councillor says the local authority does a lot of work to try and help families in Swindon to either lose weight or stick to a healthy weight before problems being.

He said: “we have teams working on obesity and diabetes specifically – we have a team that goes round schools to talk to children about healthy eating - because it’s important to catch people at a young age and set them on the right patch.

"We have healthy eating programmes and all sort of advice.”

But Coun Ford added that he felt people, particularly adults, should take more responsibility for their health.

He said: “I believe very strongly in the rights of the individual – I don’t think we should be a nanny state, I don’t think we should be telling people what to do, or forcing them.

“We should give people all the information they need, and then let them make their own decisions.

“But if adults, who are in control of their faculties, then make decisions which lead to them becoming obese or developing type 2 diabetes, I think they have to be prepared to take the consequences of their decisions.”

If that meant restricting treatment, or asking people to pay, Coun Ford said: “It’s a controversial view and I don’t think many people would accept it, but I do think people have to take a greater responsibility for themselves.”

The borough council’s website swindon.gov.uk includes advice on healthy eating and leading an active lifestyle.