The rate of people admitted to hospital in Cambridgeshire because of obesity has fallen over 12 months, according to the NHS.

The rate of admissions where obesity was the main or a secondary cause in the county was 1,092 in every 100,000 residents in 2017-2018, according to the latest data.

That's down on the previous 12 months when it was 1,125. Three years earlier it was 537.

A Government minister said the figures highlight the "devastating consequences" of the condition for patients and the NHS.

In the 12 months to March 2018, 6,830 people in Cambridgeshire were hospitalised with a weight-related issue and 60 per cent of them were women.

The figures show that of these patients, 70 were admitted with obesity as the primary cause.

There are many conditions where obesity is listed as the secondary cause of time spent in hospital.

The national figures show the most common are joint problems such as arthritis, or health issues in pregnancy where the woman was obese.

Gallstones, and heart disease contributed to by obesity, were also high on the list of secondary diagnoses.

Across England the number of obesity-related admission has jumped by 15 per cent. In 2017-18, there were around 711,000, up from 617,000 the year before. That's a rate of 1,323 per 100,000 people.

The data also shows that 30 people in Cambridgeshire were admitted to hospital for weight loss (bariatric) surgery and more than three-quarters of them were women.

Public health minister Seema Kennedy said: "This data shines a light on the devastating consequences of obesity - both for individuals and for the NHS.

"Prevention is always better than a cure and we are already taking action to protect the health of our next generation, with plans to reduce children's exposure to sugary and fatty foods and get them moving more in school each day."

Ian Hudspeth, the chairman of the Local Government Association's community wellbeing board, said: "Obesity is one of our most serious public health challenges and these figures are a wake-up call on what is needed to help combat this epidemic."

"Councils are leading efforts to fight obesity but have seen their public health funding budgets fall by £700 million in real terms since 2015/16, which needs to be reversed in the upcoming Spending Review if they are to continue this cost-effective work and reduce health inequalities between different areas."