In view of the looming threat of an obesity crisis which had been described by the health secretary as comparable to global warming, the British government on Monday launched a campaign for greater participation in sports at school level to combat the growing threat of an overweight next generation.

If current trends are not halted, a government-commissioned research said that in 25 years, half of all Britons will become obese, with about 86 percent of men becoming overweight in 15 years and 70 percent of women in 20 years.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson admitted that "for the first time, we are clear about the magnitude of the problem: we are facing a potential crisis on the scale of climate change, and it is in everybody's interest to turn things round."

In launching the new USD203 million program Monday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown sought to increase from two to five the number of hours of physical education in schools per week.

About USD4.7 million had already been set aside in the last 10 years increasing the number of hours of sport in school.

However, Schools Secretary Ed Balls stressed that the effort to address obesity should not be confined to the sports facilities alone.

"There's a role for schools in showing leadership," Balls said. "But it's what parents and kids do at home and after school which matters most."