People in Europe are overweight. Almost 60 percent of adults are overweight. In Germany, significantly more men than women have too much on their ribs.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than half of adults in Europe are overweight. Almost 60 percent of adults in the European WHO region were overweight or obese. The proportion of men is higher (63 percent) than women (54 percent), the WHO announced in Europe in its presentation on Tuesday.
For adults, Germany was slightly below the average for the region. On the other hand, the differences between German women and men were more pronounced than elsewhere: the value for women was below 50 percent and for men 65 percent. According to WHO information, the most recent European comparative values for this come from 2016. According to the WHO Europe, people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or more are considered overweight, and from 30 the experts speak of obesity. BMI is calculated from height and weight.
One in three school children is overweight
Overweight and obesity rates have reached “epidemic proportions” across the WHO European region, the report said. None of the 53 countries in this region are currently on track to meet the goal of halting the rise in obesity by 2025. The spread among adults is only higher on the American continents. In addition to the EU, the WHO also includes Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and other eastern states in its European region.
Among children under the age of five, almost eight percent are overweight or obese. One in three children of school age in Europe is overweight or obese. For children, overweight has not only been determined based on the BMI, but also weight reference curves for the respective age have been used.
According to the WHO, overweight and obese people were disproportionately affected by the consequences of Covid-19 during the pandemic. Those affected had shown a higher risk of hospital admissions and deaths. And not only that: Preliminary data suggest that obesity among children and adolescents is increasing due to the corona pandemic. This is partly due to changes in food consumption and a lack of physical activity during lockdown times.
Obesity could be the main risk factor for cancer in the future
Overweight and obesity (obesity) were generally among the leading causes of disability and death in the WHO European region, the report said. In some countries, obesity could even replace smoking as the main risk factor for cancer in the coming decades. ‘In Europe, it is estimated that obesity is directly responsible for at least 200,000 new cancer cases per year,’ states the report. Obesity is believed to be the cause of at least 13 different types of cancer. The link between obesity and cancer is not fully understood. It is likely that hormonal imbalances and chronic inflammation in the body play a role.
Obesity can have various health consequences, including cancer, chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases, liver and kidney problems, but also mental problems and back pain.
Obesity is not just a health risk, it is a disease in itself. The WHO emphasizes that obesity is a complex disease that is much more than the mere combination of unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. The organization also criticizes the fact that the marketing of unhealthy food specifically attracts children and can have a negative impact on children’s nutrition.
Source: Stern
