The European Court of Justice is considering a test case which could oblige employers to treat obesity as a disability, potentially leaving them with a duty to make adjustments to work environments.

Denmark has asked the court to rule on the case of a childminder Karsten Kaltoft, who claims that he was sacked for being too fat.

If the ruling deems that obesity is in fact a disability, employers could face new obligations to cater for employees, with the final ruling applying to all EU countries.

The case could be extremely pertinent in places such as the UK, where obesity levels have increased in recent years.

A study published last month by the UK Health Forum with the World Health Organisation's Regional Office for Europe has revealed that three quarters of British men will be overweight or obese by 2030.