Now the 32-year-old mother-of-one from Hessle, near Hull, is a size 16 and weighs just over 13 stone. Her dramatic weight loss is down to gastric bypass surgery she had done on the NHS and the subsequent changes she has made in her lifestyle.

But not everyone's story is as successful as Geneva's.

This month an inquest in Hull heard how a mother-of-six, desperate to lose weight, died just days after having surgery to help her slim.

Annette High, 42, had a previously undetected heart problem. A pathologist said the operation to reduce the size of her stomach could have had an effect on her heart, although he could not be 100 per cent certain.

And in May last year, Lynda Taylor, 33, died after suffering complications following a gastric bypass. Both operations were carried out at the private Hull and East Riding Hospital, part of the Classic Hospitals group, but paid for by the NHS.

After an inquest into her death, her husband, Peter Taylor, called for the surgery to be banned, except in life-threatening cases.

Geneva Fox believes that in many cases surgery is the only answer, but she says that people considering surgery should be made more aware of the potential dangers and also what to do after surgery.

She and a group of friends and colleagues have set up OWLLS, Obesity Weight Loss Surgery Support, which has its inaugural meeting at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull tonight. "We wanted to start a group offering information and advice for people and their families who have had, or are considering having, weight loss surgery," says Geneva, who trained as a doctor in the United States.

"In America, weight loss surgery is more common than it is here because they have a bigger obesity problem, but Britain is fast catching up. In America, patients are given more information and support both before and after surgery, especially on diet."

After a gastric bypass, patients should eat puréed food for six weeks and avoid acidy food. But with NHS resources under pressure, Ms Fox believes this is sometimes insufficient and can lead to problems.

"We are leading by example," says Geneva. "I have completely changed the way I live my life since having surgery. I eat healthily and exercise. As a result I am healthy and the weight is still dropping off."

Geneva's 11-year-old daughter, Ariel is delighted with her mum's new look.

"She thinks it's wonderful. She now has a mum who can play with her in the garden and can take part in the things she enjoys doing, like riding horses."

However, Geneva says as a result of her weight loss her marriage has broken down.

"I used to come home from work and slob out, now I like to go out with friends, do exercise and I feel really great about myself. That just didn't go down well with my ex."

She has also been left with a lot of excess skin, which she will need private plastic surgery to remove at a cost
of more than £4,000. Because it is seen as cosmetic, it is not available on the NHS.

"Weight loss surgery is a last resort," says Geneva. "But when your BMI (Body Mass Index) hits a certain level, it is impossible to lose weight any other way."


The facts about obesity in the UK
About 46 per cent of men in England and 32 per cent of women are overweight (a body mass index of 25-30 kg/m2), and an additional 17 per cent of men and 21 per cent of women are obese (a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m2 ).

The number of people who are overweight or obese increases with age. About 28 per cent of men and 27 per cent of women aged 16-24 are overweight or obese but 76 per cent of men and 68 per cent of women aged 55-64 are overweight or obese.

The number of people in the UK who are obese is increasing. The percentage of adults who are obese has roughly doubled since the mid-1980s.

A recent report predicted that 60 per cent of men and more than 50 per cent of women will be obese by 2050, if action is not taken.

OWLLS first meeting is being held at 7pm tonight in the Boardroom at Castle Hill Hospital, Hull (entrance 1b). For more information visit www.owlss.co.uk