WHO draws up an alarming report on overweight and obesity in Europe. Being overweight can quickly become the norm if nothing changes.
Is overweight the “new normal” of the 21st century? This is the risk, according to the authors of the latest World Health Organization (WHO) report, released on February 24. This report on nutrition, physical activity and obesity in Europe paints a grim picture of the continent’s health.
“A deadly cocktail”
The new generation is the first victim of this “normalization” of overweight. More than a quarter of 13-year-olds and a third of 11-year-olds are overweight, according to the report. The French situation is not as worrying and has stabilized for several years. The latest figures estimate the proportion of minors concerned at around 15%. The record is not better for adults. In France, half of the adult population is overweight. Many also suffer from obesity.
“We have a different perception of normality. Overweight is now more common than usual, ”says Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “We must not let another generation grow up with obesity as the new normal. A sedentary lifestyle, combined with a culture that favors the consumption of inexpensive, convenient foods high in fat, salt and sugar, is a deadly cocktail. “
In Europe, the majority of residents do not get enough physical activity. In 26 of the 36 countries analyzed, almost a third of those over 15 are affected by this statement. The rate is extremely variable, varying from 16% of Greeks to 76% of Serbs.
France’s effective struggle
However, effective initiatives can be welcomed, underlines the WHO report. This is particularly the case for France, at the same level as certain Scandinavian countries. A fight against obesity which has managed to stabilize the epidemic. The promotion of a healthier lifestyle is crowned with success: encouragement of the consumption of fruit and vegetables, strict control of food advertising but also taxation on unhealthy products… This set of measures has made it possible to limit the impact of ‘a sedentary life.
“We need to create environments that encourage physical activity and where eating healthy foods is the default choice, regardless of social group,” said João Breda, Head of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the Regional office. Among the measures recommended by the WHO, better nutritional information on foods, regulation of advertising, but above all giving pride of place to local initiatives. A method that has proven itself in France, New York and the United Kingdom.
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