CONTENTS
Obesity levels,
non UK regions and countries
WORLD
2008, 300 million people were obese (whilst others starved)
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WESTERN EUROPE
Europe in 2003 saw a rise in obesity of 40% in the previous decade. Former Yugoslavia (see below) tops the Euro-fat league.
In 2006, 21.6 million children are overweight. In 2006, it is expected that by 2010 the EU will contain 150 million overweight adults and 83 million obese adults, along with 26.7 million overweight children (Eurofood, 14/12/06, p.14).
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Iceland,
2005, 12.4% of adults were obese
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Norway
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
1998 |
|
|
6.0% |
6.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
41.0% |
63.0% |
|
|
21.0% |
21.0% |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
10.0% |
13.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
9.0% |
9.0% |
|
|
|
|
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Sweden
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
1985 |
|
|
5% |
5% |
|
|
|
|
|
2000 |
|
|
8% |
8% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
42% |
51% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 |
16.7% |
16.7% |
10.7% |
10.7% |
|
|
|
|
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Finland
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
2000 |
|
|
11.0% |
11.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
52.0% |
68.0% |
|
|
13.0% |
13.0% |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
20.0% |
20.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
19.0% |
19.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
14.3% |
14.3% |
|
|
|
|
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Denmark,
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
1947 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.4% |
0.1% |
|
1961 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.65% |
0.15% |
|
1971 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.7% |
0.4% |
|
1975 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.6% |
0.5% |
|
1985 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.4% |
2.3% |
|
1988 |
|
|
4% |
4% |
|
|
|
|
|
1989 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.0% |
0.9% |
|
1996 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.6% |
2.0% |
|
1998 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.5% |
3.0% |
|
2000 |
|
|
10% |
10% |
|
|
|
|
|
2001 |
|
|
7.5% |
7.5% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
41% |
54% |
|
|
|
|
1.5% |
1.7% |
|
2003 |
|
|
9.5% |
9.5% |
|
|
3.5% |
3.0% |
|
2004 |
|
|
9% |
10% |
|
|
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
11.4% |
11.4% |
|
|
|
|
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Ireland
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese boys |
|
2000 |
|
|
10.0% |
10.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
50.0% |
50.0% |
14.0% |
12.0% |
|
|
10.0% |
10.0% |
|
2005 |
39.0% |
39.0% |
18.0% |
18.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2006 |
34.0% |
34.0% |
14.0% |
14.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
25.0% |
25.0% |
|
|
|
|
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Netherlands
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese boys |
|
1981 |
30% |
37% |
6% |
4% |
|
|
|
|
|
2000 |
45% |
55% |
7.5% |
7.5% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
37% |
48% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004 |
42% |
51% |
12.0% |
10.0% |
19.5% |
13% |
4.5% |
3% |
|
2006 |
|
|
11.3% |
11.3% |
|
|
|
|
‘Obesity Review’ (Vol. 8, Issue 2, pp.101-107, reported that the prevalence of both obesity and overweight people in The Netherlands increases with age, up to the age of 70. A low level of education also predisposed towards excess weight. Concerning ethnicity, those of Moroccan descent (adults and children) were most prone to obesity, followed by those of Turkish descent; ethnic Dutch were least obese.
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Belgium
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
2000 |
|
|
11.0% |
11.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
41.0% |
62.0% |
|
|
18.0% |
18.0% |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
14.0% |
14.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
18.0% |
12.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
14.7% |
13.3% |
|
|
|
|
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Luxembourg
2006, 18.6%
of adults were obese
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Germany
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
1999 |
40% |
56% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
49% |
55% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
20% |
18% |
|
|
|
|
|
2004 |
41% |
58% |
19% |
17% |
|
|
|
|
|
2006 |
36% |
36% |
14% |
14% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
15.6% |
16.1% |
|
|
|
|
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Switzerland
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
2000 |
|
|
7.0% |
7.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
22.0% |
39.0% |
7.7% |
7.7% |
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
5.0% |
6.0% |
24.0% |
24.0% |
|
|
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Austria
2000, 8.5% of adults were obese.
2006, 12.4% of adults were obese
2010, 13.2% of women and 12.4% of men were obese
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Mediterranean
– see Greece
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France
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
1982 |
16.3% |
30.0% |
5.3% |
5.3% |
5% |
5% |
|
|
|
1990 |
17.9% |
30.9% |
6% |
6% |
|
|
|
|
|
2000 |
|
|
9% |
9% |
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
21.2% |
34.8% |
11.3% |
11.3% |
19% |
19% |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
11% |
11% |
19% |
19% |
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12% |
12% |
|
2006 |
|
|
10.5% |
10.5% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
12.7% |
11.7% |
|
|
|
|
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Portugal
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
1996 |
31% |
41% |
15% |
13% |
|
|
|
|
|
2000 |
|
|
11% |
11% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
46% |
52% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
18% |
18% |
|
|
|
|
|
2004 |
39% |
39% |
14% |
14% |
|
|
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
12.9% |
12.9% |
|
|
|
|
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Spain
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
2000 |
|
|
15.8% |
13.4% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
55% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
13% |
13% |
27% |
27% |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
15% |
11% |
|
|
14% |
14% |
|
2006 |
35% |
35% |
14% |
14% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
56% |
56% |
14.4% |
17.0% |
27% |
27% |
|
|
Geography and obesity
Obesity tended to be higher in the southern provinces of Spain (Obesity Review, 5, 2004, pp.171-2). 16.9% of adults in the southernmost province, Andalucia, were obese, and the three neighbouring provinces all scored between 13.8% and 15% obesity rates. The Madrid region scored 11.9% obesity, as did most of Spain’s north-west regions, excepting the northern Atlantic-coastal regions, where rates were again around 14-16%. Cataluna province in the far north east scored 10.8% obesity; the lowest rate was Navarra in the north, with 7.5% obesity. There appears to be some negative correlation between regional GDP and obesity rates; in other words, the poorer are more obese.
Income, gender, and
obesity
In Spain, obesity declines with higher income deciles (Costa-Font et al, Food Policy, Vol.33, 2007, pp.61-73). Amongst women, 24% of the lowest income decile were obese against just 6% in the highest decile. However the income variation amongst men was far less marked. Between 13% and 15% of men in all seven lowest deciles were obese, and this only declined to a 10% obesity rate in the highest decile. Likely, the higher prevalence of manual work in the lower deciles keeps the male obesity rate down. At the top end, perhaps too much sedentary office work and big boardroom lunches whilst the wives tone up at the gym.
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Italy
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
2000 |
|
|
8.5% |
8.5% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
34% |
48% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
10% |
10% |
36% |
36% |
29% |
29% |
|
2004 |
|
|
6% |
6% |
36% |
36% |
|
|
|
2006 |
32% |
32% |
10.2% |
10.2% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
9.3% |
11.3% |
|
|
|
|
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Malta
2002, 35% of children overweight or obese
2003 over half of its 10 year old girls over weight or obese. In 2003, 33% of its ten year olds were obese.
2010, 21.1% of women and 24.7% of men were obese
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Greece
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
31.0% |
31.0% |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
29.0% |
29.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
21.9% |
21.9% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
17.6% |
17.6% |
|
|
|
|
2008 An EU report issued in 2008 stated that obesity in Greece and the rest of the Mediterranean countries was rising faster than in the rest of Europe. Average daily calorie intake per person in the 15-state EU, 1965-2005, rose by 20%; in the Mediterranean EU states it rose by 30%. The report blamed the usual suspects; an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and the decline of home cooking as use of supermarkets and consumption of fast food rises.
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Cyprus
2010, 14.5% of women and 16.7% of men were obese
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Yugoslavia
2002, 16% of children were overweight or obese
2003 40% of women and 35% of men were obese
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Slovenia
2010, 16.3% of women and 17.3% of men were obese
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Croatia
2002, 27% of
children were overweight or obese
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EASTERN EUROPE
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Poland,
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
1993 |
|
|
8.9% |
6.3% |
|
|
|
|
|
2000 |
|
|
11% |
11% |
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
15% |
6.5% |
6% |
6% |
6% |
4% |
|
2004 |
|
|
12.5% |
12.5% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
15.8% |
17.3% |
|
|
|
|
Obesity is more prevalent in the eastern (poorer) regions of Poland.
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Estonia
2002, 20% of
women and 31% of men were overweight
2010, 20.5%
of women and 16.0% of men were obese
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Latvia
2002, 41% of
women and 41% of men were overweight
2010, 20.9%
of women and 12.0% of men were obese
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Lithuania
2002, 41% of
women and 42% of men were overweight
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Czech Republic
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
2002 |
58.0% |
73.0% |
|
|
16.0% |
16.0% |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
13.0% |
13.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2004 |
43.0% |
67.0% |
|
|
10.0% |
10.0% |
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
17.0% |
17.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
18.3% |
18.4% |
|
|
|
|
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Slovakia
2002, 43% of women
and 67% of men were overweight. 10% of
children were overweight or obese
2005, 17.6%
of adults were obese
2010, 15.7%
of women and 14.5% of men were obese
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Hungary
|
year |
Overweight
women |
Overweight
men |
Obese
women |
Obese men |
Overweight
girls |
Overweight
boys |
Obese
girls |
Obese
boys |
|
2000 |
|
|
19.0% |
19.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
38.0% |
52.0% |
|
|
18.0% |
18.0% |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
18.8% |
18.8% |
|
|
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
21.0% |
21.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
18.8% |
21.4% |
|
|
|
|
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Romania
2002, 59% of
women and 60% of men were overweight
2010, 8.0% of
women and 7.6% of men were obese
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Bulgaria
2002, 20% of
children were overweight or obese
2010, 11.3%
of wonen and 11.6% of men were obese
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FORMER USSR
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Russia,
2002, 52% of
women and 42% of men were overweight
2003, 18% of adults (10% men, 25% women) obese, and
6% of children were overweight.
2004, 11% men and 27% women were obese.
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Kazakhstan
2002, 47% of
women and 33% of men were overweight
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Kyrgzystan
2002, 28% of
women were overweight
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Uzbekistan
2002, 21% of
women were overweight
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ASIA –Excluding Former USSR
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Turkey,
1990, 18.6%
of adults were obese
2000, 21.9%
of adults were obese
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