FOUR out of five middle aged adults are putting themselves at risk of disease as busy lives and desk jobs make it increasingly hard to stay healthy, experts have said.

Eighty-three percent of 40 to 60 year-olds are either drinking too much, are inactive or are overweight, Public Health England (PHE) said.

Officials said that nine in ten men (87 per cent) and eight in 10 women (79 per cent) are not doing enough exercise, exceeding the recommended limits for alcohol or are either overweight or obese.

Figures taken from the recent Health Survey for England show that 77 per cent of men and 63 per cent of women in middle age are either overweight or obese with the rate of obesity shooting up 16 per cent in the last two decades.

Across the North-East, 68 per cent of adults are overweight or obese, 52 per cent are doing less than the recommended amount of weekly exercise, 18.7 per cent of adults smoke and 25 per cent drink too much.

Claire Sullivan, deputy director of Health and Wellbeing for Public Health England in the North East, said: “People are busy with work, with families, with the hustle and bustle of daily life and sometimes their own health is the least of their priorities.”

The health body is encouraging adults to take its One You – How Are You health quiz which may highlight problems and areas for improvement.

People who take the quiz and are flagged as having a problem are directed to apps including Couch to 5K, Alcohol Checker and Easy Meals

Professor Sir Muir Gray, clinical adviser for PHE’s One You lifestyle campaign, said: “The demands of modern day living are taking their toll on the health of the nation, and it’s those in middle age that are suffering the consequences most, as their health reaches worrying new levels.

“Over 15 million Britons are living with a long term health condition, and busy lives and desk jobs make it difficult to live healthily.

“But just making a few small changes will have significant benefits to people’s health now and in later life.”