YouGov surveyed 1,959 18- to 24-year-olds, of whom 54 classified themselves as overweight. Around a third of these young adults (34%) said they would turn to weight loss pills if they were trying to lose weight and a quarter (26%) said they would use hypnosis.

The researchers also found that many young adults are unaware of the health issues associated with obesity. Only 26% were aware that obesity increases the risk of colon cancer and only 41% knew that obesity can affect fertility.

Professor Chris Hawkey, president of The British Society of Gastroenterology, said that the survey's findings had serious implications. ‘If people aren't even aware of obesity's wider health implications such as GI cancer, then they are never going to change their behavioural habits,' he said.

‘The DoH has spent £75m on its anti-obesity campaign and we need to question what more needs to be done. For young people, as a group that is most at risk, obesity is an issue that needs tackling in a serious manner before health issues turn into a pandemic costing our country a fortune and placing enormous pressure on the health service,' he added.