Australia world's fattest nation: report

The report "Australia's Future Fat Bomb" was undertaken by the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, and revealed that some 4 million Australian adults are obese. The alarming new figures mean the nation has officially overtaken the United States having 25 percent obesity rate.

"That, unfortunately, makes us the heavyweight champions, a title we don't really want," Simon Stewart, Institute's head of preventative cardiology, told Australian Associated Press. "As we send our athletes off to the Olympics, let's reflect on the fact that we would win the gold medal now in the world fat Olympics if there were such a thing," he added.

According to the report, some 1.5 million middle-aged Australians are currently obese, a figure the report predicts will result in an additional 700,000 cardiovascular-related hospital admissions in the next 20 years. As a result of these "highly preventable admissions," Australia will be forced to pay out an extra $ 2.85 billion in health expenditures, the report claims.

The report also proposed a number of recommendations to curb the nation's expanding waistlines, including a national weight loss strategy similar to the high-profile smoking and skin cancer campaigns and the subsidising of gym memberships.

The findings, which were presented at a government inquiry into obesity, have drawn sharp reactions from Health Minister Nicola Roxon, who called the results "staggering."

Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Roxon said the fight against obesity is a national priority and the government hopes to have an effective nationwide strategy in place within the next 12 months.