Obesity is the new smoking in terms of its impact on health and cost to the national health service (NHS), according to the organisation's England chief executive.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens, set to publish a five-year plan for the NHS next month, made the comparison of obesity to smoking at a Public Health England conference last week. “Obesity represents a slow-motion car crash in terms of avoidable illness and rising health care costs,” said Stevens.

“If, as a nation, we keep piling on the pounds around the waistline, we’ll be piling on the pounds in terms of future taxes needed just to keep the NHS afloat."

According to Stevens, growing obesity rates will result in a “huge” rise in disability and illness, such as diabetes.

One of the proposals outlined in Stevens’ upcoming plan for the NHS discusses whether more should be spent on lifestyle intervention programmes and exercise referrals than bariatric surgery. Offering incentives to employers to encourage their staff to become healthier is another suggestion detailed in the plan.

Also under consideration is giving local councils extra powers to make local decisions about issues such as fast food, alcohol and tobacco.

Obesity currently costs the NHS £9bn (US$14.7bn, €11bn) a year and if rates keep rising it could threaten the sustainability of the service.

A quarter of UK adults and one in five school children are obese – having abody mass index (BMI) of more than 30 – an increase of 15 per cent on rates 20 years ago.