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Doctors have blamed excess sugar and carbohydrates for the surge in obesity – not the lack of exercise, the Daily Mail reports.

They said poor diet was now recognised as being responsible for more disease than physical inactivity, alcohol and smoking combined.

Yet, said the experts led by cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, the public wrongly believed that obesity was due to a sedentary lifestyle.

The doctors claimed that obesity has rocketed in the past 30 years, despite little change in physical activity levels.

'This places the blame for our expanding waistlines directly on the type and amount of calories consumed,' said Dr Malhotra.

'Let us bust the myth of physical inactivity and obesity. You cannot outrun a bad diet.'

In the British Journal Of Sports Medicine, the doctors added that the 'false perception' on the cause of obesity stems from corporate marketing 'chillingly similar' to that used by the tobacco industry.

They cited Coca-Cola associating its products with sport 'suggesting it is OK to consume their drinks as long as you exercise'.