The standards authority is analysing the diet of the Maltese after collecting information from hundreds of residents over the past two months.

This will lead to the drawing up of a clear picture of what food and drink are mostly consumed by the population, possibly identifying problems caused by too much or too little consumption of products.This could further lead to the strengthening of education about food and better assist doctors when following their patients' progress.

Consumers Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said emphasised the importance that people learn to chose wholesome food from a young age and distinguish between their different qualities.

A €150,000 campaign was launched by the Health Ministry last week to fight obesity, which afflicts a quarter of men and a fifth of women.

This will include free weight-management and aerobics classes for those considered overweight.