IN today's national news, medics are warning of a growing trend in overweight people being denied surgery until they lose weight. 

The Royal College of Surgeons has said people who are overweight and smokers are becoming "soft targets" for NHS savings after its latest report found that more than one in three areas of England restrict surgery to some of these patients.

The RCS found that 34 per cent of 200 health trusts have one or more policies on body mass index level or smoking status which stop overweight patients or smokers being referred for routine surgery.

Click HERE for the full story. 

What do you think? Should overweight people or those who smoke be refused surgery until they make lifestyle changes?

So far, the votes online are fairly evenly split but the debate has generated a lot of comments over on Facebook. 

Should overweight people or those who smoke be refused surgery?
Yes they should be made to lose weight and quit smoking first
No they should be offered surgery straightaway