It seems that overweight celebrities are becoming role models for making obesity seem acceptable, just as too skinny or anorexic celebs do -- at least according to Professor Michael McMahon of Nuffield Health, who says overweight celebrities such as James Corden, star of 'Gavin and Stacey', are making dangerous weight gain seem normal.

With the media focusing on skinny images, and now obese images, Prof. McMahon believes that the public is now accepting these obese images as normal. He said:

"The increasing profile of larger celebrities, for example James Corden, Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Jones and Beth Ditto, means that being overweight is now perceived as being 'normal' in the eyes of the public.

"We talk about the dangers of skinny media images, but the problem actually swings both ways."

He added:

"If people continue to turn a blind eye to their weight problems, they will see their life expectancy considerably shortened," he warned.

The percentage of obese Britains has doubled in the last ten years from 11% to 23% this year, according to research. I guess Americans aren't the only ones with obesity problems.

According to Mikyla Dodd, an overweight actress, defended the overweight role models telling the BBC's Five Live:

"There are very few role models in our society that are overweight.

"The problem you have got is a body of people who are overweight who feel ostracised and completely shut out from the community, therefore they eat more.

"It's actually quite refreshing to see people who are in the public eye. It shows that fat people can be successful, build self-esteem and then people eventually get the motivation to do something about it."

If you ask me, it sounds like a vicous cycle and the public is a bit to blame.

Oh, and if the rate of obesity keeps up this way, Prof. McMahon predicts that one in six people will be eligible for weight-loss surgery within a generation.

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