Shropshire is getting fatter and fatter and people need more operations on the NHS to cope, a leading consultant said today.

Niall Graham said he had seen a significant increase in the number of people needing hip and knee replacements over the last 10 years as county residents pile on the pounds.

Now he has urged people to watch their weight and try to keep in shape before they start to wear their bodies out.

Mr Graham, who works at Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital, said obese people put greater strain on the joints in the lower body, causing more wear and tear.

He said he had noticed a significant increase in the number of overweight and obese patients he saw and was seriously worried that the problem would continue to escalate.

“The problem often begins in childhood and the majority of overweight youngsters will become overweight adults,” he said.

“I have been a consultant here for 10 years and have definitely seen an increase in the amount of hip and knee replacements having to be carried out on people who are overweight or obese.”

He said that arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis, was exacerbated by being overweight or obese.

“I had a patient recently who had been due to have surgery. She managed to lose weight and came back to me and said that her arthritis was not causing as much pain as it had been doing. She now does not need the surgery,” he added.

Mr Graham said unfortunately it was difficult to lose weight once it had crept on, particularly if people were suffering from arthritis.

“It is no good asking people to exercise more if they are in pain simply from trying to walk. It is futile,” he said. “People really have to do something about their weight before the medical problems begin.”

“People are overweight because they put too much in and not enough out,” he said. “Less food and more exercise will mean you lose weight. If you notice the weight creeping on, do something about it now, before has an impact on your health, as it will.”

He said that it was difficult to support calls for refusing operations until people lost weight.

“There is no established data to show that being overweight has an impact on the success of an operation although there are possible risks from anaesthetic for people who have a Body Mass Index of over 40,” he said.

By Sue Austin