The latest European Health Interview Survey shows that almost 1 adult in 6 in the EU is considered obese and the share of obesity increases with age and decreases with education level. While 46.1{ddf8d179d1bf712bb2a88ff2ad95ebdf63eaa5463c845d2f093b25848387ba96} of those aged 18 or over living in the EU had a normal weight in 2014, slightly more than half of […]
In the past two decades levels of overweight and obesity in Ireland have doubled with only 40{ddf8d179d1bf712bb2a88ff2ad95ebdf63eaa5463c845d2f093b25848387ba96} of the population having a healthy weight. This represents one of the biggest public health challenges Ireland is facing today and according to the WHO these levels are forecast to increase, so Ireland may top the European “League
A Healthy Weight for Ireland Read More »
The WHO Regional Office for Europe has prepared a physical activity strategy to support the voluntary global targets set out in the WHO global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013–2020. The strategy focuses on physical activity as a leading factor in health and well-being in the European Region, with particular
Physical activity strategy 2016–2025 Read More »
The nutritional well-being of pregnant women affects not only their fetuses’ development but also children’s long-term risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) or obesity, according to a new report from WHO/Europe “Good maternal nutrition. The best start in life”. While the importance of good nutrition in the early development of children has been recognized for
Maternal nutrition linked to children’s risk of NCDs and obesity Read More »
Nearly 800 million people are chronically undernourished and 159 million children under 5 years of age are stunted. Approximately 50 million children under 5 years are wasted and over two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. Meanwhile 1.9 billion people are overweight – of whom over 600 million are obese – and the prevalence of
Decade of Action on Nutrition Read More »
The first WHO Global report on diabetes states that the number of adults living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million adults. Factors driving this dramatic rise include overweight and obesity. In 2012 alone diabetes caused 1.5 million deaths and its complications can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and
Global report on Diabetes Read More »
In Europe today, 6 of the 7 biggest risk factors for premature death – blood pressure, cholesterol, Body Mass Index, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, physical inactivity and alcohol abuse – relate to how we eat, drink and move. Rising overweight and obesity across Europe is particularly worrying. The European Commission advocates an integrated approach,
The number of adults living with diabetes worldwide has almost quadrupled since 1980, to 422 million, according to the first WHO Global report on diabetes. An estimated 64 million people are now living with the disease in the WHO European Region. The growing diabetes epidemic is strongly associated with increasing trends in overweight and obesity,
Global action on diabetes Read More »
The World Health Assembly recently adopted a global target for all countries to renew their efforts to halt the rise of obesity in children under 5 by 2025. The Commission’s recommendations to address childhood obesity cover six areas: promotion of intake of healthy foods; promotion of physical activity; preconception and pregnancy care; early childhood diet and
Global recommendations to stop childhood obesity Read More »
Europeans are living longer but high levels of tobacco and alcohol consumption, combined with rising obesity could mean that the life expectancy of future generations will fall. Download the report
European Health Report 2015 Read More »
