How are overweight and obesity affecting EU citizens?

By&nbspJulián López & Loredana Dumitru & Euronews

Published on 15/09/2025 - 15:34 GMT+2

Overweight and obesity levels proceed to skyrocket successful Europe, according to a study by the European Food Information Council, a consumer-oriented non-profit organisation.

Levels person risen some among adults and children.

Some three-quarters of men successful Romania (76%), Poland (76%), Croatia and Slovakia (74%) are overweight oregon obese.

Meanwhile, men successful France (41%), the Netherlands (54%) and Denmark (56%) are little apt to beryllium overweight oregon obese.

The highest percentages of overweight and obesity among women were reported successful Ireland (62%), Romania (58%) and Croatia (58%).

Among women, too, France is connected the different broadside of the spectrum, astatine 30%, up of Austria (34%) and Denmark (36%).

The survey underlined that “it is difficult” to comparison data, arsenic countries often usage antithetic appraisal methodologies to measurement overweight and obesity.

Still, taking into relationship these latest numbers, experts person warned that nary European Union subordinate authorities volition beryllium capable to halt the emergence of obesity by the extremity of the year.

On the contrary, if trends don't halt oregon reverse successful the abbreviated term, implicit fractional of Europe is expected to unrecorded with obesity by 2030, affecting up to 89% of radical successful immoderate countries.

Most prevalent signifier of malnutrition

A caller UNICEF study has added to the woes by claiming that obesity has present surpassed underweight arsenic “the much prevalent signifier of malnutrition”.

Some 1 successful 10 school-aged children and adolescents—or 188 cardinal people—suffer from obesity worldwide, according to the findings. This inclination is recorded successful each regions of the world, but sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The study warns that ultra-processed and accelerated foods—high successful sugar, refined starch, salt, unhealthy fats and additives—are shaping children's diets done unhealthy nutrient environments, alternatively than idiosyncratic choice.

Obesity is placing children and adolescents "at hazard of life-threatening diseases", UNICEF concludes.