GOOD news for those who are watching their weight: The daily intake of calories recommended by nutritionists for the past 18 years may just be wrong, according to reports by British media.

A draft report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, which advises the British government, recommends that adults' daily calorie intake - currently 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men - could be increased by up to 16 per cent, said British newspaper The Guardian.

That's the equivalent of a cheeseburger or two packets of crisps, according to the Daily Mail.

Which means that one could happily squeeze in an extra 400 calories per day and not pile on the pounds, the newspaper added, quoting nutritionists.

The revised guidance comes after researchers found a more accurate assessment of how fat can be burned off through exercise.

But the committee warned that people should eat more only if they exercise more, given the rising levels of obesity, said The Guardian.

In Britain, a third of all adults, or 13 million people, are overweight.

As for Singapore, Health Promotion Board statistics show that the prevalence of obesity among adults aged between 19 and 59 years has increased steadily, from 5.1 per cent (1992) to 6.9 per cent (2004).

When weight-loss reality- TV show, Biggest Loser Asia - which begins screening on the Hallmark Channel (StarHub Ch 17) next Tuesday - held its audition in Singapore in July, more than 500 people registered.

A person with a body mass index of 25 and above is considered overweight.

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