Around two thirds of the population of England are overweight according to a report published today by the House of Commons select committee on health.

While obesity in the UK has quadrupled since 1980, the report estimates the cost of unhealthy eating and the resulting health risks at around £7.4bn a year.

The report, simply called Obesity, also singles out what it sees as the main causes behind the epidemic.

The report said: “In the absence of practical cookery lessons, children grow up without the skills to prepare healthy meals, leading to a reliance on convenience foods.

“Healthy-eating messages are drowned out by the advertising of highly energy-dense foods. At the same time, food labelling – which is intended to assist consumers to choose healthy food – is often either confusing or absent.”

Following the line of the Chief Medical Officer’s report earlier this month, Obesity emphasises the importance of regular exercise.

It cites that only just over a third of men and a quarter of women achieve the Department of Health’s target of 30 minutes physical activity, five times a week.

Health secretary, John Reid, supported the findings of the report, but stressed that obesity must be tackled collectively, ensuring that the efforts to improve the nation’s health will be successful.

He said: “We recognise that these issues are not just a matter for government – they involve individuals and the choices they make, as well as the food and leisure industry.

“We at the Department of Health are working closely with colleagues across the government to encourage and enable people to eat more nutritious food and take more exercise.”

Reid went on to list a number of measures it has recently put in place to tackle obesity, such as improving school sports facilities and extending their availability to the community, piloting ways of encouraging groups to take more exercise – including free swimming lessons – and encouraging better cycle lanes and walking routes.

The government also said it will now extend the consultation period for its white paper on health from the end of May to the end of June, as it believes the new report will “stimulate further debate” on the issue.

Nigel Wallace, executive director of the Fitness Industry Association (FIA), said: "The recent reports that have been produced, such as Wanless, Chief Medical Officer and the latest Health Select Committee Report on Obesity, illustrates the extent of the problems caused by physical inactivity.

"It is now not a question of whether the government must act, it is all about when and in what form. From the nation's health perspective the when needs to be sooner rather than later."

Fred Turok, chief executive of health and fitness club chain, LA Fitness has also welcomed the report.

"At long last there seems to be a group of government officials prepared to stop talking about the frightening obesity epidemic and start taking drastic action to tackle the disease before it wipes out the next generation," he said.

"The report out today, calling for a multifaceted approach to the obesity crisis, is welcomed and fully supported by the health and fitness industry, which has long been campaigning for action on this scale.

"Educating our children on the dangers of inactivity and an unhealthy lifestyle will have a massive bearing on the future health of the British population."

Turok added that LA Fitness clubs across the UK will be offering free membership to teachers during the school summer holidays and giving them advice on ways to motivate pupils and guidance on how to incorporate physical activity into lessons.