Duchess of York in council house experiment for TV documentary » Communities » 24dash.com

The Duchess of York says she would eat green vegetables and "make it nice inside" if she lived in a council house.

Sarah Ferguson spent six months with a family of six who were living on benefits of £80 a week for a new documentary on obesity and eating habits.

She told the Radio Times Britain was eating itself "to death".

The Duchess, who stayed in a £40-a-night B&B in Hull while visiting the Sargersons family for the documentary, said: "It took the family 20 minutes to get used to me.

"I get on well with anybody. They're very special - the salt of the earth, kind, loving. I've seen families all over the world who live like them."

Asked whether she could live like the family, she said: "That's a ridiculous question ... Tonia (the mother) and I have identical views on certain issues, but we're not the same.

"I come from a privileged background and have been educated. However, it doesn't matter if you're titled or not.

"You can always have weight problems and mood-altering days - and that's why it was lovely to feel the compassion of this family."

She added: "I could live in a council house and below the benefit line, of course. Anyone could.

"But I wouldn't smoke and I'd make it nice inside and eat green vegetables because I was brought up on a farm.

"My daughters (Beatrice and Eugenie) might try fast food. If, when they were young, I had 5 dollars (£2.50) left at the end of the day and they were crying and I wanted them to sleep, I'd probably have put fast food into them - if it was the only thing I knew.

"The problem is how do we get mothers to spend the 5 dollars on fruit and vegetables and not fast food?"

She said: "One in three children is already diagnosed as obese and unless someone does (speak up) there will be an epidemic.

"We're eating ourselves to death. Health care will increase out of proportion, hospitals stuffed full.

"It upsets me when I'm put down, but on this subject critics can say all they like. I know my facts. I've spent 12 years (as spokesperson for Weight Watchers International) studying sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, BMI (body mass index)... But I don't think I'm anybody special. I know nothing really.

"I'm just a person who has a voice and is prepared to speak about health problems. I don't know so much about drinking, smoking or drugs."

She said: "I used food for comfort and ballooned to 220lbs. I didn't preach to the Sargersons and say, 'Stop smoking, and eating these things.'

"I said, 'This helped me, and it might help you.' I asked how they wanted to change, and they had the self-respect to do it themselves."

She added of her return to Britain after 12 years mostly living abroad: "Americans embraced me and gave me confidence when I needed it. But I want to come home.

"I'm a British citizen, and people have supported me through ups and downs. We've history together. I like to think I can be part of the country again. I don't know if it will work."

The Duchess said that the British "need to speak up about emotions" and added: "I'm deeply, deeply sensitive."