The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 370 councils - who are now responsible for public health - is calling for voluntary calorie count signs to be prominently placed at counters and on menus.

This radical move mirrors a successful scheme which is being brought in across the US. This involves chains of restaurants, cinemas and pizza parlours providing calorie counts on their menus. A similar scheme, which has been running since 2008, has already proved a major success in New York City.

In addition, the LGA is calling for £1 billion of existing VAT to be handed to councils to fund local preventative schemes, prevent obesity, help millions of overweight and obese children across the country and ease pressure on the NHS.

The call comes as latest research shows the scale of the obesity crisis and its paralysing effects on the nation. The NHS is spending over £1.5 million an hour on diabetes – more than £13 billion a year - and more than 3.5 million children are now classed as overweight or obese.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, chair of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “We are calling on cinema, restaurant and pub chains to step up to the plate and show leadership in tackling the obesity crisis, by providing clear and graphic signs at counters and on menus.

“In many cases, people are unaware of how many calories they are consuming. Food and drink outlets should be doing more to provide clear and prominent labelling which spells this out clearly.

“This is all about enabling people to make informed choices about what they eat and drink. Some retailers are already introducing calorie counts and this is a step in the right direction. But the industry needs to go further, faster so people know how many calories their food and drink contains.

“We are also calling for £1 billion of existing VAT to be given to councils to boost and bolster local preventative schemes and prevent obesity. The effect of this would be twofold: it would help millions of overweight and obese children across the country and hugely ease pressure on the NHS.”