麻豆传媒

Skip to main content

UN: Obesity levels in Europe at 'epidemic proportions'

This April 3, 2018 file photo shows a closeup of a beam scale in New York. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File) This April 3, 2018 file photo shows a closeup of a beam scale in New York. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)
Share
LONDON -

The World Health Organization says the rates of people who are obese and overweight in Europe have hit 鈥渆pidemic proportions,鈥 with nearly 60 per cent of adults and a third of children in one of those categories.

the UN health agency's European office said the prevalence of obesity among adults is higher across the continent than any other world region - except for the Americas.

鈥淎larmingly, there have been consistent increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the WHO European region and no member state is on track to reach the target of halting the rise in obesity by 2025,鈥 the report said. Among the countries it counts in its Europe region, WHO said the highest rates of obesity were seen in Turkey, Malta, Israel and Britain.

WHO said being overweight or obese is among the leading causes of death in the region and is responsible for more than 1 million deaths every year.

Scientists have long warned that being heavy significantly increases the risk of numerous diseases, including respiratory conditions, diabetes and at least 13 cancers. It is also the leading risk factor for disability.

鈥淒uring the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced the true impact of the obesity epidemic,鈥 WHO Europe director Dr. Hans Kluge wrote in the report. He noted that the obese were 鈥渕ore likely to experience severe outcomes of the COVID-19 disease spectrum, including intensive care unit admissions and death.鈥

Kluge also said that COVID-19 interventions like school closures and lockdowns often raised the risk of gaining weight when people turned to unhealthy diets and were forced to be sedentary.

WHO called for countries to adopt policies to improve 鈥渆nvironmental factors鈥 linked to obesity, including taxing sugary drinks, restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children and efforts to improve physical activity.

In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 74% of Americans over age 20 are obese or overweight.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Infectious disease physician Dr. Isaac Bogoch says whooping cough is most risky for unvaccinated infants, children and older people.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.