DOCTORS are expecting a rise in Obesity as growing numbers of unhappy Britons turn to junk food for comfort.

Around 74 per cent of adults admit to gorging on chocolate and crisps when they feel down, rather than confiding in friends or seeking medical help.

Research from the Priory Group, which specialises in treating Eating disorders, found that “self-medicating” with calorific food had become part of the national psyche.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Peter Rowan said: “These people are desperate to fill the void created by loneliness, Depression and insecurity.

“You could describe this as ‘hungry for love’. Sadly this form of comfort-eating is bad for them, leading to a range of physical illnesses associated with Obesity and with the development of eating disorders, which can be a severe form of mental illness.

“We learn from infancy and the gifts of our mothers, to associate food with love.

“This lesson is not modified with time and the gift of food is used to reward us and for us to reward others.”

He linked the rise of the male celebrity chef to the 58 per cent of men, who prepare food to seduce their partners.

“There is a huge risk that by over-valuing food as a way of communicating our love, we diminish other ways of demonstrating it. Food then takes the place of love, rather than being a pleasurable way of reinforcing it,” he said.

The survey of 1,000 British 15-to-65-years-olds showed that 15-to-24-year-olds have the worst relationship with food - 61 per cent comfort-eat with chocolate and 43 per cent with fast food.

Just under one third confessed to self-medicating with food when their relationships became rocky.

Dr Rowan said: “If current trends are continued, eating behaviour will become progressively more detached from food and health needs, and the number of young people with eating disorders will continue to rise.”

Susan Ringwood, the chief executive of the Eating Disorders Association said: “Eating disorders can develop when someone uses food to try and control their feelings.

“The best way to make a full recovery is to seek help as soon as a problem develops.”

Almost 1.1 million Britons have been diagnosed with an eating disorder but the number of sufferers is thought to be much higher.

• High levels of salt have been found where consumers least expect it - in desserts, cakes and biscuits, a survey shows.

Angel Delight chocolate dessert contains half a gram of salt in each serving, Marks & Spencer lemon sponge pudding contains 1.3g per portion, a Boots triple-chocolate cookie contains 0.8g of salt, and a Rumblers Bio yoghurt and cereal pot 3.2g according to the study for Food Magazine.

The government recommendation is for adults to eat no more than 6g of salt per day to maintain health.