Some 70 percent of Greek men and 50 percent of Greek women weigh more than they ought to, according to new research published yesterday, which also found that married Greeks tend to be fatter than bachelors.

Only 31 percent of all men and 47.2 percent of women were found to be within the normal weight range, while 1.9 percent of men and 4.7 percent of women were below the norm, according to figures presented by the Hellenic Medical Association for Obesity (HMAO) and the Athens Economics University — which conducted a nationwide survey of 17,341 people aged 20-70.

Some 26 percent of men and 18.2 percent of women were judged to be obese, while 41 percent of men and 29.9 percent of women were deemed overweight.

The survey found that Greece’s rural areas had the highest ratio of obese men, while married Greeks tend to be heavier than bachelors. Among women, the highest obesity rate (45 percent) was in the 61-70 age group. “Men in rural areas manage their fields from the coffee shop,” HMAO vice president Ioannis Kaklamanis remarked.