CANBERRA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Health Minister Nicola Roxon said on Friday the government has promised a national strategy to tackle the obesity crisis.

    The pledge follows a damning report showing Australia has a greatest proportion of overweight people in the world.

    The report, Australia's Future Fat Bomb, shows 26 percent of adult Australians -- almost four million -- are obese, while America has a 25 percent obesity rate.

    Roxon said the report has come as a shock to the community and highlighted the need for urgent action.

    "These are obviously pretty staggering statistics to show that we are the fattest, or one of the fattest countries in the world," Roxon told reporters in Canberra.

    To tackle obesity was a national priority and the government hoped to have an effective nation-wide strategy implemented in the next 12 months, Roxon said.

    The report presents the results of height and weight checks carried out on 14,000 adult Australians nationwide in 2005.

    It reveals that 9 million adults have a body mass index (BMI) over 25, making them overweight or obese, an increase from 7 million. Middle-aged people are leading the way with seven in 10 men and six in 10 women aged 45 to 64 now registering a BMI of 25 or more.