Overweight and obesity are among the leading causes of death and disability in the European Region, with recent estimates suggesting they cause more than 1.2 million deaths annually, corresponding to more than 13% of total mortality in the Region.
Obesity increases the risk for many NCDs, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and chronic respiratory diseases.
Overweight people and those living with obesity have been disproportionately affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There have been unfavorable shifts in food consumption and physical activity patterns during the pandemic that will have effects on population health in the years ahead and will need significant effort to reverse.
Obesity – An ongoing “epidemic”
To address the growing epidemic, the report recommends a suite of interventions and policy options that Member States can consider to prevent and tackle obesity in the Region, with an emphasis on building back better after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Obesity knows no borders. In the Europe and Central Asia regions, no single country is going to meet the WHO Global NCD target of halting the rise of obesity,” said Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
The countries in our Region are incredibly diverse, but everyone is challenged to some degree. By creating more enabling environments, promoting investment and innovation in health, and developing strong and resilient health systems, we can change the trajectory of obesity in the Region.
Obesity – A Disease Not Only A Risk Factor
Obesity is a complex disease that presents a health risk. Its causes are much more complex than the mere combination of an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. This report presents the latest evidence, highlighting how vulnerability to unhealthy body weight in early life can affect a person’s tendency to develop obesity.
Environmental factors unique to living in modern Europe’s highly digitalized societies are also drivers of obesity. However, the report also looks at how digital platforms might also provide opportunities for the promotion and discussion of health and well-being.
Policy Measures: What Can Countries Do?
Addressing obesity is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and is a priority echoed in WHO’s European Programme of Work 2020-2025.
The new WHO report outlines how policy interventions that target environmental and commercial determinants of poor diet at the entire population level are likely to be most effective at reversing the obesity epidemic, addressing dietary inequalities, and achieving environmentally sustainable food systems.
Any national policies aiming to address the issues of overweight and obesity must have a high-level political commitment behind them. They should also be comprehensive, reaching individuals across the life course and targeting inequalities.
Efforts to prevent obesity need to consider the wider determinants of the disease, and policy options should move away from approaches that focus on individuals and address the structural drivers of obesity.
Source: Medindia
