In the past she's suffered wounding publicity about her figure and, most famously, quit ITV's Celebrity Fit Club when her gastric band operation was revealed and she was accused of cheating.

Ironically that surgery had been botched and didn't work. But it's now corrected and she's on a successful weight loss path.

"It's been a rocky road at times," she says.

"I never intended to become a poster girl for weight-loss surgery – which isn't a magic answer and has to be coupled with lifestyle changes.

"But I would have always preferred my surgery to have been a private matter, although when it came out it was a relief in a way.

"And it's helped make me so aware of other people with problems like mine and led me to, I hope, help."

Instead of wallowing in her distress over being "publicly pilloried for being fat" Anne resolved to investigate the whole issue of obesity. After meeting and talking to medical experts around the world during the last 12 months she's produced a new book, Winning The Fat War, which she hopes will help those with weight issues – and those who criticise them – realise that "fat is not your fault – but it is your problem".

"Obesity isn't about fault, it's about what is happening to us all as a society, because it is now a global phenomenon. Until we face up to that we're not going to get anywhere. There are so many factors that help to cause it including our obsession with food, physical appearance and sedentary lifestyles. It can't all be put down to a matter of individual fault."

She believes instead that compassion should be shown to those who are fat "because the likelihood is they are probably desperately trying to beat it. And in many cases their weight is probably making them desperately unhappy."

Her research has been of personal benefit as it introduced her to cognitive behavioural therapy which has improved her relationship with eating.

"I was taught that I had to find things in my life that I enjoyed that didn't centre around food. So I have taken up t'ai chi, cycling, painting and sewing, all activities that are impossible to do while you are eating!

"The therapy's also helped me to become more relaxed about my weight, which weirdly has had the bonus of enabling me to lose more pounds."

It's also helped her devise other strategies.

"I've found it helpful to recognise when my vulnerable moments are in a day. Mine used to be in the evening when I liked to settle down with a glass of wine, which led to the munchies and so I'd be inclined to think 'oh blow the diet' completely ruining all my healthy efforts during the day.

"Nowadays I make myself a fruit smoothie, which seems to give my body the sugar it needs, boosts my energy and stops me turning to sweet foods for comfort."

She's comfortable with being around a size 14, although ideally would like to lose another stone but says happily, "Suddenly my weight isn't like this huge issue any more, which is good."

But she won't allow her personal contentment to diminish her efforts to fight for the wellbeing of other obese people and she's now a patron of the National Obesity Forum.

As a mother of four sons she was particularly shocked to find during her research that experts are warning that children who are developing type 2 diabetes because of their obesity are likely to grow up infertile or impotent.

"That's so shocking and motivates me even more to try to talk to politicians and others to see if there's something that can be done to help prevent that."

• Winning the Fat War by Anne Diamond, published by Capstone, £12.99. A documentary based on the book is on Sky Real Lives tonight at 10pm.

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