The 25-stone childminder who is so fat he cannot tie his charges' laces launches European court bid to have obesity officially declared a disability

Mr Kaltoft was sacked by his local authority in Denmark for being unable to perform his duties due to his size

If 25st Mr Kaltoft wins, employers might have to provide fat people with larger seats and parking spaces next to the office

Half the population of Britain could be obese by 2050

In Britain, rates of obesity have doubled in the past three decades

64 per cent of adults are now overweight

British companies may soon have to treat obese workers as ‘disabled’ and provide them with larger seats and parking spaces next to the office.

A test case which will be heard on Thursday by the European Court of Justice could make legal history by banning bosses across Europe, including Britain, from discriminating against obese employees.

The case is being brought by overweight child-minder Karsten Kaltoft who was sacked by his local authority in Denmark for being unable to perform his duties due to his size.

25stone Karsten Kaltoft was sacked by his local authority in Denmark for being unable to perform his duties due to his size

The council, Billund Kommune, claimed the 25st child-minder was so fat that he required help from a colleague to tie up children's shoelaces.

If successful in redefining obesity as a disability, Mr Kaltoft's lawyers could force widespread changes in the way bosses deal with staff.

Employers would have to find ways of accommodating fat workers so that they are not at a disadvantage to their slimmer colleagues.

In Britain, rates of obesity have doubled in the past three decades and 64 per cent of adults are now overweight.

The Luxembourg court will be asked to decide if his obesity is a disability under EU law and if his employer was guilty of discrimination by dismissing him.

The council, Billund Kommune, claimed Mr Kaltoft, a 25st child-minder, was so fat that he required help from a colleague to tie up children's shoelaces

Judges will also consider whether it applies just to the public sector or across the whole labour market.

Audrey Williams, from Eversheds law firm, said: ‘This ruling could be significant for employers in Britain, which has the highest percentages of obesity in Europe.

‘Obesity, however it will come to be defined, would need to be approached just like any other physical or mental impairment, preventing an employer from treating an employee less favourably. This would include the ability to dismiss.

‘Access to the office and seating arrangements may have to be reviewed. Might obese employees need preferential access to car parking?’

Vanessa Di Cuffa, from Shakespeares law firm, urged employers to help workers who wanted to lose weight by offering them subsidised gym membership and by encouraging them to avoiding sugary snacks.

The Employment Appeals Tribunal ruled last year that a man was disabled even though the cause of his numerous medical problems had no identifiable cause and were compounded by his obesity.

This year the National Obesity Forum estimated that half the British population would be obese by 2050.

One in ten deaths in England and Wales is now due to people being overweight, the government's top medical adviser has said. Professor Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer of England, highlighted research suggesting that between 40,000 and 53,000 deaths in England and Wales next year would be attributable to excess weight.

These include more than three quarters of diabetic deaths and a quarter of deaths from heart disease. The study, by the University of Cambridge, suggested that about 10per cent of deaths would be the result of excess weight.

‘It is worrying that studies show some people who are overweight believe they are about the right weight,’ Dame Sally has said.