Wales facing 'obesity timebomb' warns leading surgeon

There calls for more stomach-reducing surgery to be made available in Wales Credit: Clara Molden/PA

A leading surgeon says Wales is facing an 'obesity timebomb' that could cost tax payers billions of pounds.

Dr Jonathan Barry, a bariatric surgeon at Morriston hospital in Swansea, is currently treating Aberdare teenager Georgia Davies, dubbed 'Britain's fattest teen'.

Mr Barry says he and his collegues have had a thousand referrals since his special unit opened 18 months ago, but says those numbers are just the tip of the iceberg of people who actually need their help.

According to last year's Welsh Health Survey, over half of adults in Wales were classed as overweight or obese - although it's the numbers of children and teenagers requiring the complex stomach-reducing surgery that's worrying Dr Barry.

Now there are calls for more bariatric surgery to be made available in Wales.

Dr Dai Lloyd, a Swansea GP, thinks the surgery is the only answer for most morbidly obese patients.