Obesity rate projected to increase in most of Europe by 2030

Researchers from WHO Europe recently presented data that showed projected obesity rates in Europe through 2030, and rates are rising for men and women.

The number of people with obesity and overweight is projected to increase in nearly all of the 53 European countries included in the study, showing no signs of plateau.

Statistical analysis predicted rates of obesity and overweight from 2010 to 2030, using WHO’s BMI-based determination of overweight and obesity.

The proportion of overweight and obesity in males was projected to reach 75% in the United Kingdom, 80% in Czech Republic, Spain and Poland, and 90% in Ireland. The lowest projected levels of overweight and obesity were found in Belgium (44%) and the Netherlands (47%).

Mirrored trends were seen in overweight and obesity in women between 2010 and 2030; Ireland again showed the highest proportion of obesity and overweight in women (84%).

For projected obesity, excluding data on overweight, levels ranged from a low of 15% in the Netherlands and Belgium to 47% in Ireland. The highest obesity prevalence in females was also projected in Ireland (47%), and the lowest was projected in Romania (10%).

The data were presented May 9 in Amsterdam at EuroPrevent, the annual congress of the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.

The researchers said economies may explain in part rising obesity rates that mirror disease rates in the United States.

“The UK and Ireland, where obesity prevalence is among the highest, possess unregulated liberal market economies similar to the US, where the collective actions of big, multinational food companies to maximize profit encourage over-consumption," the researchers said. “The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Austria possess more regulated market economies,” which may mitigate overconsumption.

Disclosure: Two of the researchers are employees of the WHO.