A cosmetic company has said that people who are obese or overweight are less likely to find employment because of their image

Robert Houtman, managing director of National Slimming Clinics, said that there is plenty of evidence to support his claim that people are denied employment opportunities because of their size.

He said: "Countless studies have shown that obese people are discriminated against in the job market despite their qualifications but still, with unemployment going through the roof, the government fails to help them."

Mr Houtman went on to say that successive governments have done nothing to help the overweight either lose weight or find jobs and the NHS offers little help for the obese.

"Patients are turned away from doctors surgeries because they are not quite heavy enough or they are told they have to lose five per cent of their body weight by themselves before they qualify to be treated," he added.

Alison West from Crawley was made unemployed after working for airline companies and found it hard to get a job due to her weight.

She said: "I would wait for interviews surrounded by thin women who were not as qualified or experienced as me but who looked the part and inevitably I was turned down. I weighed 16 stone but I felt invisible."

With an increasing number of people becoming unemployed during the current economic downturn it is important that job seekers portray a healthy image in order to increase their chances of employment.

Diet expert John William has recommended that people try supplements such as t5 slimming pills if they do not notice an improvement in their body while following a healthy regime of diet and exercise.

Products such as t5 slimming pills and t5 fat burners act as an appetite suppressor which helps to stop the untimely habit of eating food and can help people to feel full.

T5 fat burners increase metabolism by helping to burn more calories compared to a usual rate and this ultimately leads to weight loss.

Weight loss products such as t5 slimming pills are most effective in the long term if people take them alongside a balanced diet and healthy exercise regime, according to research by the University of Liverpool.

Research by three charities revealed that many people are ignorant of the fact that an extra layer of fat around the waist can lead to an increased risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.