Efforts should be stepped up to encourage healthy eating, it has been claimed, after Hyndburn was named as one of the country’s takeaway capitals.

A Public Health England report has revealed there are 114 fast food outlets in the borough, the seventh highest number per head in the country.

It also found that the percentage of obese residents is above both the north west and the national averages - 26.2 per cent compared to 25.6pc in the northwest as a whole and 24.4pc in England.

The report classes fast food outlets as including, but not limited to, burger bars, kebab and chip shops and sandwich shops.

Coun Noordad Aziz, ward councillor for Netherton, which is the second highest ward in Hyndburn for take aways per head after Accrington town centre, said there was a link between the number of such businesses and obesity levels and said more education was needed on the importance of healthy eating and exercise.

He said: “We should encourage healthy eating and more should be done to teach people about the impact of fast food on people’s health.”

But he said deprivation played ‘a massive part’ in fast food consumption.

He said: “In a low income economy fast food is often a cheaper option. People think why pay for healthy food when a cheeseburger and chips is £2.50.”

He added: “The council should also monitor the number of fast food business applications.”

The figures are based on data from 2013-15 and show an increase on 2012-14, when 25.3pc of people were classed as obese in the borough.

Central ward councillor Mohammed Ayub agreed people needed to exercise more and eat more healthily.

He said: “People should cook at home more and be more active. We have good gyms and parks in Hyndburn and people should use them.”

But Shahed Mahmood, who is Hyndburn Chamber of Trade president and owns a fast food outlet on Blackburn Road, Accrington, said lifestyle changes affected people’s eating habits and said it was down to individual choice.

He said: “Takeaways are a quick and easy choice for the consumer. Lifestyles have changed and people are working two or three jobs to make ends meet.”