AS Bathonians prepare to tuck into thousands of Easter eggs this weekend, they may wish to consider some worrying research which shows there are more obese people in Bath than ever before.

A report from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee claims more and more people in the UK are now obese and, if the trend continues, one in five men and one in four women could be dangerously overweight by 2005.

This follows a 2001 report from the National Audit Office, which found that the number of obese people has tripled in the last 20 years.

Health experts agree that Bath is following this trend.

Bath Star health columnist Dr George Walker said: "It is increasing everywhere in the UK and certainly in Bath.

"We are doing far less exercise in everyday life, we are using cars to take our children to school but also doing far less physically demanding jobs."

Yet Dr Walker said Bath does not suffer as much as other cities in the UK.

He said: "It seems to be more of problem the further you move away from the south.

"Some people have taken some notice of this problem they eat more wisely, they are more aware of what they are eating and so I think Bath perhaps does not have as many obese people as cities that contain more deprived areas."

Local nutritionist Rachel Brown added that, although she has noticed an increase in the number of obese people she works with in Bath, residents are lucky to be blessed with choice.

She said: "A weight loss diet does tend to be more expensive because fresh vegetables, fruit and low fat products cost a lot more than highly processed, fatty foods. The classic example is white bread people on a lower income are likely to buy white rather than brown bread, which of course is better for you."

Nevertheless, both agree Bath is getting fatter and warn that our unhealthy lifestyles are leading to serious health problems, with 30,000 people nationwide dying as a direct result of obesity each year.

Among the conditions associated with obesity are high blood pressure, arthritis, and heart disease, still the UK's biggest killer.

A spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation said: "Research has shown that nine per cent of coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs as a direct result of obesity. More than a third of people suffer due to a lack of physical activity.

"We are concerned that, in the long term, obesity will lead to an increased rate of people with heart troubles."

And it's not just an individual's health that's at risk obesity is estimated to cost the NHS £500m a year.

Solutions to the problem, such as fad diets, have done little to reduce figures.

Steve Harris, assistant manager at Phase One gym in Bath, said he is not surprised many people's efforts to get in shape fail.

He said: "There are two sides to the equation. You cannot simply eat less, you have to exercise as well. It does depend on what you put in your mouth but also what lifestyle you lead."

Bath Sports Centre has just opened a fitness gym and said those concerned about their weight should seek help with a programme to suit their abilities.

Esther Clarke, marketing manager at the centre said: "We get a lot of people who come to the gym just to lose weight. We run two programmes that have our staff work with our customers at a rate that suits them and their weight."

Yet, although getting yourself down to the gym to burn off those extra pounds is often seen as the best way to shed the pounds, Steve Harris said that the lure of the bench press is just not strong enough for many to leave the couch behind.

He said: "Some people are intimidated by the gym whilst some find it very monotonous and boring. That is fine but some people do not keep themselves fit by any other means.

"It is a catch 22 scenario as some people think they need to slim down to go to the gym in the first place."