Nearly six in ten adults (59%) and one in three children (29% of boys and 27% of girls) in Europe are overweight or obese, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
THE spread of obesity among adults in Europe it is larger than any other region except America. Greece is one of the countries with the biggest problem, as the percentages of overweight and obese in both sexes, both among adults and minors, are above the European average.
Overweight is one of the leading causes of death and mobility problems, estimated to be associated with more than 1.2 million deaths a year in Europe or about 13% of all deaths. THE obesity increases the risk of many non-communicable diseases, including at least 13 different cancers, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, etc.
Obesity is considered directly responsible for at least 200,000 news cancer cases every year in Europe, a number that is expected to increase in the coming years. In addition, normal body weight is responsible for 7% of all life years with disabilities in Europe. Also, the overweight and obese were affected proportionately more by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report (WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022), published by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and presented at the European Obesity Conference organized this week in Maastricht, the Netherlands, reveals that the Obesity Study The rates of overweight and obese have reached epidemic levels in Europe and continue to rise, with no country close to the WHO target of a “brake” on obesity growth by 2025.
“Obesity knows no bounds. “Countries in our region have an incredible variety, but they all face the challenge of obesity to some degree,” said Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, who called on states to show the necessary political will and take on new challenges. initiatives and interventions to address the problem, which is considered complex.
Among other things, the report proposes new taxes on sugary drinks, subsidies on healthy foods, restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods for children, better access to health services to treat obesity, improved nutrition and lifelong exercise. , promoting the importance of breastfeeding, interventions at school level, etc.
Greece
Our country appears (based on data from 2016) to have a percentage of overweight 62.3% (men 68.2% – women 56.2%), above the European average 58.7% (men 62.9% – women 54.3%). In particular, the percentage of obese in Greece was estimated at 24.9% (men 24.2% – women 25.4%), also above the European average 23.3% (men 21.8% – women 24.5 %). A key finding is that in our country there are proportionately more overweight men, but more obese women.
Regarding childhood obesity (in both sexes under the age of five), in Greece the percentage was estimated for 2020 at 13.9%, almost double the European average (7.9%). Our country appears to have one of the highest rates of childhood obesity after Ukraine (17%) and Albania (14.6%).
Between the ages of 5 and 9 (based on 2016 data) Greece was estimated to have an overweight rate of 41% (boys 45.2% – girls 36.5%), well above the European average of 29.5% (boys 32 , 1% – girls 26.6%). The percentage of obese children aged 5-9 in Greece was estimated at 17.8% (boys 21.2% – girls 14.2%), compared to the lower European average of 11.6% (boys 14% – girls 9.1%) .
Regarding adolescents (10-19 years old, based on data from 2016), the percentage of overweight in Greece was estimated at 35.3% (boys 39.2% – girls 31.3%), compared to the European average of 24.9% ( boys 26.7% – girls 22.9%). The percentage of obese adolescents in our country was estimated at 11.7% (boys 14.4% – girls 8.8%) compared to the European average of 7.1% (boys 8.6% – girls 5.6%).
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