Overweight people find it harder to get a job than their slimmer counterparts, an online survey of more than 2,000 human resources professionals by the journal Personnel Today suggests.

It reports that 93% of those questioned said they would favour a "normal weight" candidate over an overweight person, even if they were identically qualified.

Nearly half said obesity lowered an employee's output and 30% regarded obesity as a valid reason for not employing someone. Four in 10 suggested overweight people lacked self-discipline and one in 10 thought weight a ground for dismissal.