LONDON: Addicted to junk grub? Beware! Snacking on fast food and chomping in between meals can lead to weight gain and knock more than ten years off your life.

Yes, researchers in Britain have carried out a study and found that obesity is more dangerous than smoking as it can cut life expectancy by as much as 13 years.

"We must fight the notion that the current obesity epidemic arises from individual over indulgence or laziness alone. We live in a consumer society which encourages us to eat. We have a sedentary lifestyle.

"It's an environment which means that if we just behave normally we will become obese. We may only put on a bit of weight a day but there are 365 days in the year," according to lead researcher Professor David King.

Prof King, the British government's Chief Scientific Adviser, and his team of 250 scientists have published their study in a report, titled Foresight, on Wednesday.

The researchers have observed that being obese with a body mass index of more than 30 knocks nine years off a person's life while men with a BMI of more than 45 face nearly 13 years less life.

According to their findings, obesity -- which is now seen as "normal" -- not only leads to diabetes and heart disease but can also cause cancer, apart from various chronic health problems.

The researchers have also pointed out that the design of many towns and cities is based around the needs of the car and suggested more should be done to ensure that it's easier to walk to encourage residents to take more exercise.

"This will need a major culture change. The obesity issue is getting worse every year and we have not got much time to act," Prof King wrote.