European Obesity Epidemic

[Nick Wray 72]

Following on from my previous article for Bariatric Pal, Obesity: Its A Global Problem, I thought I’d write about another recent report about the obesity epidemic. This particular report looks at the problem from a European perspective and comes from the World Health Organisation.

According to the report presented at the EuroPRevent congress in Amsterdam by Dr Laura Webber from the UK Health Forum, rates of obesity and overweight are projected to increase in almost all European countries by 2030. However, as one would expect, growth rates vary significantly from country to country. In total 53 European nations were put under the microscope, and in almost all countries the proportion of overweight and obese citizens was projected to increase over the next 20 years.

"Our study presents a worrying picture of rising obesity across Europe. Policies to reverse this trend are urgently needed," Dr Webber said.

Her concerns are founded on a statistical modelling study which brought together a wide berth of data on body mass index (BMI) and obesity trends within all 53 countries. Definitions were based on the WHO's standard cut offs -- healthy weight (BMI ≤24.99 kg/m²), overweight and obesity combined (BMI ≥25 kg/m²) and obesity (≥30 kg/m²).

Dr Laura Webber believes governments should be doing more to restrict unhealthy food marketing and is calling for a tax on soft drinks and subsidies for fruit and vegetables.

“The UK and Ireland, where obesity prevalence is among the highest, possess unregulated liberal market economies similar to the US, where the collective actions of big multinational food companies to maximise profit encourages over-consumption... We need to make healthier food more affordable and less healthy food less so, by using taxes on sugary drinks for example and subsidies on fruit and vegetables."

The Worst Performers: the proportional increase of overweight and obesity in males by 2030

-Ireland [90%]

-Czech Republic [80%]

-Spain [80%]

-Poland [80%]

-United Kingdom [75%]

The Best Performers

-Belgium [44%]

-Netherlands [47%]

[Bandista 7,466]

Interesting article, thank you. I have to wonder if there is a correlation to rising use of artificial sweeteners in these countries, or perhaps high fructose corn Syrup.

[SandyM 1,956]

I admit that obesity is on the rise everywhere, but more govenment nosiness isn't going to fix it. Sorry, I just don't want the government telling me what to buy, what to eat and where to spend the little bit of money they haven't already snatched out of my paycheck.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

It's a tough subject.

Something's got to give.

We've got to figure this out.

Too many humans are dying too young and living miserable lives because of obesity.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I lived in Germany for 2 years back around 2000. What I observed is a shift away from daily bicycling for errands etc, or from walking to the grocery everyday that was a traditional lifestyle to something that looked more car reliant. Younger more affluent Germans were more likely to drive for errands. The small town near us had a recently opened McDonald's, and while my colleagues said only Americans went there it wasn't true. Everytime I went in there were young families or young Germans either inside or doing the drive through.

I personally think that it is a combination of easy to get crappy food combined with reduction in day to day activity that bumps a population into higher obesity rates.

I spent alot of time in the Netherlands too and as a general statement they are a tall people who ride their bikes everywhere. The people I knew ate alot of bread cheese and milk but for some reason that milk and bread based diet doesn't fatten them up like it does me. Anyway my observation was that they are less into cars and even younger affluent people seemed like they were still walking and biking alot.