ALEXANDER Stewart helped to highlight the urgent need for action on obesity when he visited the Cancer Research UK exhibition at the Scottish Parliament last week.

The Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP is backing the charity's Scale Down Cancer campaign to help prevent obesity-related illnesses across Scotland.

Scotland has one of the heaviest populations in Europe, with around two-thirds (65 per cent) of adults in Scotland and more than one quarter (28 per cent) of children overweight or obese.

Given that obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking, it is important that action is taken to tackle Scotland’s health challenges.

The Cancer Research UK campaign asks politicians to support a call to ensure cancer is scaled down to size in Scotland.

Nearly 40 per cent of all calories are purchased as a result of price promotions.

This is why restricting supermarket multi-buy discounts on foods that are high in sugar, fat and salt are among a range of measures that Cancer Research UK wants to see placed at the heart of the expected Scottish Government strategy to improve Scots’ diets.

Alexander said: “It was a pleasure to have met the Cancer Research team in parliament as I am very keen indeed to support their invaluable work.

“Four in 10 cancers are preventable, yet not enough of us know that obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking and given the devastating impact that cancer has on families in Mid-Scotland and Fife; it’s vital we take immediate action on obesity.

“We mustn’t let obesity continue to be the new normal in Scotland, and that’s why I’m joining forces with Cancer Research UK and the Scale Down Cancer campaign.”

Join the conversation on twitter via @CRUKScotland and #ScaleDownCancer