An astonishing 2.5 million British people are over-eating and experts have identified five types who might need help.

The secret binger, the happy eater, the comfort seeker, the panic snacker and the fridge magnet are all types of over-eating and various treatments are suggested.  Statistics show that one in five people has an eating disorder, and three out of five of these are compulsive eaters. There are actually fewer sufferers of anorexia nervosa.

Depression has a strong link with binge eating with half suffering the illness and 60 per cent are women.