London, Oct 14 (IANS): Belgium's new Minister of Public Health, Maggie De Block, is the first political figure to come under fire for being too fat for the job, media reported Tuesday.

De Block, 52, who is Belgium's most popular politician and was once tipped as a future premier surprised many when it was announced she would take up the role of health minister, the Daily Mail reported.

The politician, who weighs in at more than 20 stone, was not considered to be setting a good example in a country where obesity is a growing health problem.

The anti-Maggie charge was led by Tom van de Weghe, a Washington-based correspondent for Belgium's VRT television station, the report said.

He questioned in a tweet whether she would be "credible" in her new post.

But de Block, who practised as a general physician for 25 years, shrugged off the criticism.

"I know I'm not a model but you have to see what's inside, not the packaging," she was quoted as saying.

According to World Health Organisation data, a total of 47 percent of the adult population in Belgium are overweight.

As minister for immigration in the last Belgian government, de Block was praised for her work.