- Philippa Roxby
- BBC health correspondent
22 minutes ago
image source,Getty Images
Take-out software allows people to eat without leaving home.
In a report, the World Health Organization (WHO) lays out how the rise and prevalence of food apps and online games are driving childhood obesity across Europe.
No European country is on track to halt the rise in obesity by 2025, the WHO said.
Nearly 60% of adults and one-third of children are either overweight or obese, and the Covid-19 pandemic has made the problem worse.
WHO recommends limiting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, while reducing the price of healthy foods and encouraging people of all ages to increase their physical activity.
Overweight and obesity have reached “epidemic proportions”, with only the Americas having higher rates of obesity among adults than Europe, according to the WHO’s 2022 European Regional Obesity Report.
The report estimates that obesity kills 1.2 million people in Europe each year – 13% of all deaths – and at least 200,000 new cancer cases each year.
complex challenges
image source,Getty Images
Takeout is delicious but not necessarily healthy, so try to eat as little as possible.
The report also said that excess body fat increases the risk of many diseases, including 13 types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and lung disease.
At the same time, it is also the leading cause of disability.
The WHO report states that obesity is “a complex disease” that goes far beyond a combination of unhealthy diet and lack of exercise.
“Obesity knows no borders,” said Dr. Kruger, WHO’s regional director for Europe. He said that the countries in the European region are very diverse, but each country faces challenges to some extent.
But Dr Kruger said “we can change the trajectory of obesity in the region by developing strong health systems”.
The report also said that Europe’s highly digitized food environment, which affects what, when and how people eat, should be tracked and watched more closely.
For example, food delivery software has played a major role in increasing consumption of high-fat and high-sugar foods and beverages.
According to a British study, eating takeaway can eat an average of more than 200 calories a day compared to cooking at home. If it’s a week in a row, it’s the equivalent of a child eating an extra day’s worth of calories.
But the report, presented at the European Obesity Congress, also suggested that online ordering and delivery systems might actually be used positively to improve diets, give people access to healthy food and improve their health.
Overweight and obesity rate
image source,PA Media
UK has second-highest number of obese adults in Europe
Online gaming, which is popular with children, has also been linked to poor diet, unhealthy habits and sedentary periods.
But once more, the WHO says people can use the technology to improve the physical and mental health of young people.
Looking at Europe as a whole, the proportion of children and adolescents affected by being overweight or obese is:
- Children under 5: 8%
- Children aged 5-9: 29%
- Teenagers aged 10-19: 25%
Among them, the British adult obese population ranks second in Europe, following Malta; the proportion of adult overweight and obese adults ranks fourth in Europe, following Israel, Malta and Turkey.
weight loss measures
The UK already has policies aimed at tackling obesity, including a law requiring large restaurants and coffee shops to provide calorie information on meals and drinks, and Scotland is considering similar measures.
In addition, buy-one-get-one-free food promotions will be phased out in England this autumn following research shows they encourage people to buy 20% more food than they need.
At the same time, the UK also plans to ban food ads high in sugar, salt and fat before 9pm across the country.