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Ban? Elastic waistbands expand as people enlarge, allowing them to get fat without noticing, physiotherapist Sammy Margo says (file photo)

As our waistlines bulge, plus size clothing has become the norm. 

But some fear making clothes bigger and bigger simply allows people to become complacent about their weight.

Today, the Local Government Association warned the rise of baggy tops and elasticated waistbands is 'normalising' obesity.

Richard Kemp, deputy chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said obesity is a problem affecting every community across the country.

In a speech to the LGA's conference on childhood obesity, where council leaders will explore how local authorities can tackle the problem, he said 'no town, city or village is immune'.

'The danger of becoming complacent about [being] overweight and obesity is that it becomes normalised,' he will add.

'Manufacturers adapt their clothing style and fit to the body shape of the population - manifested by the popularity of elasticated waists, baggy tops and tracksuit-style bottoms.'

The rise of baggy clothes corresponds to well-documented increases in body size in the UK.

In 1949, the average British woman's figure was fairly trim: at a petite 5ft 2in, the scales rarely tipped 9st 10lb. Fast forward to 2009 and she is 5ft 4in and half a stone heavier.

Meanwhile, obesity levels have more than trebled in the last 30 years and, on current estimates, more than half the British population could be obese by 2050, according to NHS Choices.

The growth of our bodies is reflected in bigger clothes sizes, with shops creating larger garments and plus size ranges to accommodate the demand. 

For example, school uniforms on sale at stores in Burnley and Clitheroe, Lancashire, now include trousers with a 48in waist, classed as 5XL, and blazers with a 56in chest - which is 16 sizes bigger than the average adult fit.

While clothes are getting bigger and baggier, fashion experts warn shops carry out 'vanity sizing' -labelling clothes with smaller  numbers to make people with growing waists feel smaller and thinner, exacerbating the obesity problem.

Today, a leading physiotherapist has pledged her support for the LGA's upcoming speech, and called for a ban on elasticated waistbands, arguing they are simply making people fatter.

Here, London-based chartered physiotherapist Sammy Margo explains why we should choose tight jeans over tracksuit bottoms... 

 

 

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Unforgiving: A stiff pair of jeans helps people stay slim as they can see when we are getting fatter, Ms Margo says (file photo)

ELASTIC WAISTBANDS EXPAND WITH US

'Elastic waistbands expand as we expand, allowing people to get fatter and fatter without noticing,' Ms Margo told MailOnline.

'There's a lack of awareness going on, you're not aware you're putting on weight.

'In the 50s, we had an unforgiving pair of jeans we put on to check how fat we are and that's a good way to keep weight under control.

'If you can measure it, you can change it.'

Men tend to be more aware of when they've put on weight around their middle, she continued.

'That's because they check their belt notches,' she said.

Women, on the other hand, are wearing more and more stretchy clothes like skinny jeans, jersey dresses and elasticated waistbands.  

'By wearing an elasticated waist you're not aware of your body,' Ms Margo said.

'It can continue to enlarge and you don't know whats going on. You've got no visual feedback as to how you're ballooning.'

She said tight-fitting clothes allow people to see when they are piling on pounds - prompting them to do something about it.

'There's a lot to be said for structured clothes that keep us in check,' she said.

'As a physio I think its time to ban the elasticated waistband as its fuelling the obesity crisis - allowing people to hide away from their fat rather than face it.'

'COUCH POTATO CLOTHES'

'We're in the midst of an obesity crisis - and one of the symptoms of that is back pain - so physios say were have a back pain crisis too,' Ms Margo continued.

'When people wear baggy clothes and loungewear, they're less likely to exercise.'

As we lead sedentary lives already, this could have a devastating effect.

 

 

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Slouching: 'Couch potato clothes encourage a couch potato attitude,' Ms Margo said. People who wear loungewear are less likely to exercise and more likely to lie around on their sofa, fuelling obesity (file photo)

She said: 'These are more schlompy couch potato clothes, which are not great for posture. Couch potato clothes encourage a couch potato attitude.

'People don't stand up tall, holding in their stomach muscles. They lie around instead, when we shouldn't be sitting on our bottoms for 12 hours a day.'

Physiotherapists bear the brunt of people who fail to exercise, who appear at clinic like Ms Margo's with aches and pains and other problems, she said.

She added: 'Because of this attitude we're seeing more back pain and obesity-related problem

'Part of dressing smart is an attitude, and baggy clothes doesn't foster that attitude.

'We're heading in the direction where plus size clothes are the norm, and it's time for it to stop.'