Scotland's most senior health boss and health minister Jeane Freeman have been told to quit their bad habits and set a better example.

Unless senior figures practise what they preach, the public will not take public health seriously, according to Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum.

He called on health secretary Jeane Freeman to quit smoking and NHS Scotland Chief Executive Paul Gray to lose weight, amid concerns over children's weight and the fact one in six Scots still smoke.

His comments were backed by Glasgow University nutritional expert Professor Mike Lean.

Mr Fry said both figures should practise what they preach.

The Government plans to make the country smoke-free by 2034 and Scotland's obesity problem is being tackled through a range of measures.

But although Ms Freeman said in February she has quit, it is claimed she may have relapsed. Mr Gray remains overweight despite having declared his intention to improve his health.

Mr Fry said: "It’s absolutely essential that people in the public eye practise what they preach. Everyone in public life — if they are overweight, if they are smokers, if they are doing things they say other people should not — should pay a lot of attention to themselves,” said Fry.

He said Mr Gray “should redouble his efforts to bring himself into shape”.

Professor Lean said Ms Freeman was an impressive politician, but smoking should be incompatible with the job of health secretary. He also suggested Mr Gray could take advantage of one of NHS Scotland's own weight-loss regimes.

In 2015, Mr Gray said he had lost six stones by taking more exercise, adding: "When I took this job I was clear that I had already begun a trajectory of losing weight. I concluded it was important to take more care of my health.”

The Scottish government, has declined to comment on whether Ms Freeman is still smoking, and said Mr Gray was on holiday.