New analysis from WHO/Europe identifies surprising trends in rates of overweight and obesity across the Region
An analysis has identified that in some countries of the WHO European Region, rates of overweight and obesity have stopped rising, and that higher social and economic status do not necessarily correlate with lower rates of overweight and obesity. Furthermore, the analysis explains that obesity and overweight that start in childhood lead to more health problems.
These 3 trends were identified following a review of 12 articles, the results of which were published as a special supplement to the medical journal Obesity Reviews entitled “From data to action: combating childhood obesity in Europe and beyond”.
Overweight and obesity among children is one of the major challenges in the Region and a major risk factor for a number of health issues, including cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
Levelling out of rates of childhood overweight and obesity
According to the latest data from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), countries in the southern part of the Region saw a higher prevalence of obesity. But new trends show that these countries have succeeded in halting and even reducing levels of childhood overweight and obesity.
Other parts of the Region have, however, shown different trends. There, obesity and overweight levels have remained static or slightly increased, with no major differences between boys and girls.
Overall in the Region, 28.7% of boys and 26.5% of girls are overweight or living with obesity.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have substantially changed the regional situation, and some recent studies show that rates of overweight and obesity may have already increased.
Higher socioeconomic status does not always mean lower rates of overweight and obesity
While higher-income countries of the Region see lower rates of overweight and obesity among people with higher socioeconomic status, the trend is the opposite in countries with emerging economies.
The latest research based on COSI data disproves another popular idea – that low socioeconomic status is consistently associated with less healthy behaviours and diets.
The great diversity in socioeconomic status patterns across countries again supports the need for country-specific, population-level policies to address childhood obesity. There is no one-size-fits-all approach based on the experience of high-income countries that can effectively solve the issue.
The WHO supplement for Obesity Reviews highlights that more action and investment are needed to reach the targets indicated by the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013–2030 and supported by the WHO European Programme of Work 2020–2025.
Obesity and overweight lead to more health problems if starting in childhood
Childhood obesity is associated with a wide range of serious health and social consequences in childhood and higher risks of premature death and disability in adulthood.
Overweight and obesity are proven risk factors for a number of noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes. People with excessive weight can suffer from functional limitations and psychological problems.
Surveillance data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents are essential to inform the development of effective policies and strategies.
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Data source: WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) |
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All the mentioned findings are based on data from COSI, which has gathered quality data from across WHO European Member States for more than a decade. COSI surveillance is used to determine new trends in obesity and overweight among school-aged children, and allows decision-makers to create policy conditions that make a healthy childhood accessible to all. For more information, please access the full Obesity Reviews supplement using the link below. |
