Britain is among the most “nanny state” countries in Europe when it comes to restrictions on food and drink, according to new international rankings.

The research by the Institute of Economic Affairs and the European Policy Information Centre ranked every country in Europe for how far it regulates private lifestyle choices.

Turkey - which is located mainly in Western Asia - topped the overall list, which examined a range of restrictions, including those placed on alcohol and smoking.

Britain came second only to Hungary on rules on food and drink, as a result of its tax on sugary drinks, and restrictions on marketing of food to children.

The UK was also top of the overall list for being the worst place in Europe to be a smoker, as a result of the smoking ban, high taxes and plain packaging.

Britain was also found to have some of the highest alcohol taxes in Europe while Scotland has minimum pricing and bans discounts in shops.

Researchers said the study found no evidence such policies are effective, saying governments would do better to focus on efforts to boost prosperity, which is linked to longer life expectancy.

Overall, Germany got the lowest score for restrictions, making it the most liberal country in Europe, followed by Czechia and Italy.