OXFORDSHIRE is heading towards an obesity crisis 'if it's not there already', an expert has warned.

The chairman of Active Oxfordshire, Keith Johnston, said more than a fifth of all of the county's residents do less than 30 minutes' worth of exercise a week.

That means the county is heading into problems with life expectancy – with some children expected to live for five years less than their parents in some cases.

He also said activity level amongst residents is 'flat' in comparison to what it has been over recent years.

One in three children will currently leave their school overweight or obese, he added.

Mr Johnston added that there was often a clear link between income and people's exercise habits. In Oxford, residents are likely to be more inactive in Blackbird Leys, Northfield Brook, Rose Hill and Iffley, Littlemore and Barton and Sandhills, he said.

A council said earlier this year that its leisure centres had been hit by people choosing to use alternatives on the market.

Oxford City Council said the use of its leisure centres had been hit by budget gyms opening up across the county, and people choosing to take part in mass-participation events like free parkruns.

Active Oxfordshire was previously known as OxSPA and is funded by Sport England, Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Oxfordshire County Council.

Its figures showed that 12.7 per cent of people are 'fairly active' – completing 30 to 149 minutes a week. Another 65.9 per cent are 'active' and do 150 minutes and more of exercise every week.