Business is under assault from an "advancing nanny state" seeking to blame food companies for the obesity crisis facing Britain, the head of the CBI said last night.

Digby Jones, director-general of the employers' organisation, urged the government to provide tax relief of gym subscriptions rather than scapegoating firms for the unhealthy state of the nation.

In a speech to the conference of business in sport and leisure, Mr Jones said it was up to individuals to take personal responsibility for their health.

"Business has had enough of being used as society's scapegoat for lack of government impetus or for badly-crafted and poorly-implemented leg islation. Firms take too much of the blame for society's mistakes including those things over which companies have little or no control. We need real political leadership on issues like nutrition, smoking and alcohol consumption, not attempts to shift the burden of responsibility to business. Let's see government setting the pace by allowing tax relief of gym subs paid by employers: a little gesture - a big impact."

Mr Jones is on a non-alcohol and low carbohydrate diet and has slimmed down from 117kg (18st 6lbs) to 104kg (16st 6 lbs) in preparation for the London marathon. He said business wanted to work with the government on health issues, but he urged ministers to apply the "five principles of good regulation": proportionatility, accountability, consistency, transparency and targeting."

Kath Dalmeny, policy officer for the Food Commission, an organisation campaigning for healthier food, said it was right to call to account companies that manufactured products high in sugar, salt and fat.

She said far from scapegoating business, the government's public health white paper relied on the food industry imposing its own voluntary codes.