thomas
Unswerving bicyclist
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I have just finished an eye-opening book entitled "Fatland - How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World" by Greg Critser. Critser basically expands on why the obesity rate in the US soared from 25% in the 70s to 61% (!) nowadays: Americans eat more (they finish no matter how large portions are) and exercise less as a result of the food industry's "supersizing". In particular the rate of child obesity - and related - Type 2 diabetes is quite alarming. It seems that in the 80s a lot of public schools started to rely on fast food chains to provide school lunch. Demographically, being fat seems to be directly related to income: the poor become the fattest.
Anyhow, an excellent book I recommend.
Hoooooowever, it appears that some European countries are fast gaining ground in terms of obesity. Last Thursday the Japan Times (sorry, no online version available) reported that the proportion of overweight or obese men is higher in some European countries than in the US. Finland, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Malta have exceeded the US's 67% in overweight or obese males.
Some numbers:
Percentage of adults obese or overweight
Men
Greece 78,6%
Germany 75,4%
Czech Rep. 73,2%
Cyprus 72,6%
Slovakia 69,0%
US 67,0%
Women
Greece 74,7%
Malta 67,0%
Germany 58,9%
Cyprus 58,0%
Czech Rep. 57,6%
US 57,0%
8% of the current health care costs in the EU can be attributed to the effects of obesity. The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) estimates that among the EU's 103 million youngsters the number of overweight children rises by 400.000 each year! More than 30% of children between 7 and 11 years of age are overweight in Italy, Portugal, Spain and Malta. The IOTF states for example that Spain's classical diet of fish, olive oil and fruits has developed into a diet full of meat, high-fat food and sugar during the past 20 years.
Bon appetit! :ramen:
Anyhow, an excellent book I recommend.
Hoooooowever, it appears that some European countries are fast gaining ground in terms of obesity. Last Thursday the Japan Times (sorry, no online version available) reported that the proportion of overweight or obese men is higher in some European countries than in the US. Finland, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Malta have exceeded the US's 67% in overweight or obese males.
Some numbers:
Percentage of adults obese or overweight
Men
Greece 78,6%
Germany 75,4%
Czech Rep. 73,2%
Cyprus 72,6%
Slovakia 69,0%
US 67,0%
Women
Greece 74,7%
Malta 67,0%
Germany 58,9%
Cyprus 58,0%
Czech Rep. 57,6%
US 57,0%
8% of the current health care costs in the EU can be attributed to the effects of obesity. The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) estimates that among the EU's 103 million youngsters the number of overweight children rises by 400.000 each year! More than 30% of children between 7 and 11 years of age are overweight in Italy, Portugal, Spain and Malta. The IOTF states for example that Spain's classical diet of fish, olive oil and fruits has developed into a diet full of meat, high-fat food and sugar during the past 20 years.
Bon appetit! :ramen:
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