The council is preparing to use planning powers to limit the spread of fast food shops as shock figures reveal the number of outlets in Croydon has doubled in the last four years.

The borough had 246 restaurants dishing out fatty foods including chicken, chips and kebabs last year, figures obtained through a Freedom of Information Request show.

It represents a huge surge since 2008, when 134 fast food outlets were trading, with the number climbing year after year.

The council is now drafting new plans to allow it to block outlets opening in a bid to stem a growing obesity crisis.

A quarter the Croydon's adults are morbidly obese, according the latest Government figures, with 23 per cent of the borough's children also severely overweight.

The figures have led to calls for a tougher stance against shops selling unhealthy fried foods.

MP Steve Reed, whose Croydon North constituency has the borough's highest obesity rates, said: "I think if people realised the damaging effect that fast food and high-fat, deep-fried food can have on your health, they probably wouldn't choose to eat it.

"There is a particular issue with young people whose health can be damaged in the long-term if they have an unhealthy diet and I'd like to see efforts made to reduce the number near schools."

He added: "The council has a duty to promote the well-being of the community, and I'd like to see it pushing the law to see exactly what it can do in terms of promoting a wider range of shops and healthier options for local people."

Justine Sharpe, head dietician at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, said see was seeing more children with obesity-related problems usually confined to adults.

She said: "There are multiple health risks associated with eating fast food, the biggest being obesity and its related health conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

"If you are consistently selecting fast foods you are more likely to be obese as these tend to be higher in calories than healthier food."

Croydon Council, which took on new public health duties this month, said tackling obesity and promoting exercise were priorities.

It will launch a new £300,000 campaign to help overweight children in the autumn, on top of a healthy eating programme already running in schools.

A spokesman said: "The council is considering using planning powers to control the number of fast food shops in the borough.

"We plan to present a report to cabinet in September which will cover this, among other issues."

Would you support a ban on fast food shops? Leave a comment below or email chris.baynes@london.newsquest.co.uk.