Hastings has been named the fattest town in Sussex.

Brighton and Hove, Lewes and Worthing are well down a new fat league compiled from research which links being overweight to a chip-shop culture in working-class communities.

Statistics compiled by analysts Experian rank Hastings as one of the worst areas in Britain for obesity, using hospital admission records to find the highest concentration of Type 2 diabetes, seen as a key indicator of obesity.

The survey links being overweight to white working families who live on council estates and have low self-esteem and poor education, little money and little access to exercise facilities.

Blue Dolphin chippie manager George Georgiou said he had not noticed the people of Hastings were particularly overweight.

He said: "If anything they are getting thinner. Women's breasts are getting bigger - I don't know if that is just the bras, though.

"A few years ago it was the superwaif look but that has gone out of fashion a bit now.

"We just offer fish and chips, the basics. I don't think healthy food would be that popular.

"People do ask for salads but that is because people always want a healthy option with fatty foods.

"They always order a diet cola with chips."

An Experian spokesman said: "The analysis demonstrates a direct correlation between obesity and social class with a high frequency of obesity occurring amongst welfare borderline and welfare dependent social types.

"It is understood that people can also develop diabetes though old age as well as poor diet but, in the absence of national records on obesity, the research probably reveals the most accurate UK analysis of where we would estimate obesity levels to be highest."

Study author Dr Marc Farr said: "There is a clear correlation between weight and class. Logically, you might think wealthy people would over-indulge or eat richer foods.

"But they have better education about health issues. They will also have money to buy lower-fat or organic foods.

"Cheaper foods tend to be the unhealthier ones. If you are going to feed a big family in Hull, you will buy a big loaf of white bread, not the organic brown stuff. It is more filling."

Experian says its research will be useful to Government, local health authorities and business in identifying areas likely to see higher numbers of particular diseases.