UK & World News
- 26 November 2011, 21:37
UK Women Are Fattest In Europe, Figures Say
British women are the most overweight in Europe, according to figures released by the European Commission.
Nearly a quarter of women in the UK, some 23.9%, were obese in 2008/9, the data revealed.
British men were not far behind on 22.1% and were the second most overweight, second only to Malta.
Separate figures showed that around a third, 32%, of English children aged 11 to 15 are overweight or obese.
The data released by the commission showed the proportion of obese people among adults in Europe ranged from 8% to 23.9% for women and 7.6% to 24.7% for men.
In all of the 19 member states that data was available for, the share of overweight and obese people increased with age.
The proportion of women who were obese or overweight was also shown to fall as the educational level rose.
The high levels of obesity in the UK are in contrast to countries like Romania, where just 8% of women and 7.6% of men are classed as obese.
The statistics come weeks after Health Secretary Andrew Lansley launched a new goal to bring down England's obesity levels by 2020.
He said Britons should be eating five billion fewer calories a day and urged people to be honest with themselves about what they eat and drink.
Obesity is placing a major toll on health services in the UK, with hospital admissions related to the issue up by more than 30% since 2008/9.
A man or woman is defined as obese if their body mass index (BMI) is 30 or above and overweight if it is between 25 and 30.
The BMI is a measure of a person's weight relative to their height. It is calculated by dividing body weight by body height squared.
what do you think?
ABritMum
That has to be linked to the fact that England (and Ireland) have now the lowest quality of living in Europe. It shows doesn't it?
Joan Holmes
No donīt think so, during the war when food was scarce it was very unusual to see a fat person and the inmates of concentration camps never came out fat. Eating and drinking more than the body consumes in energy is the cause.
ABritMum
Joan it was different during the war; they had proper basic REAL food and there wasn't the prepacked chemical filled bulked up with rubbish ready made meals we have now.
stevie may
Not to worry girls ! Men prefer a bit of meat on the bone. Who'd want to go out with a skinny girlfriend ! ? !
Julie Doughty
Why thank you Steve, lol. Im a big girl and bleddy proud, ive also been ten stone, but was miserable as hell,lol. Happier being big!!
Hannah Taylor
Probably because the uk is the only place stupid enough to pay people who dont work more money than those that do. Great incentive to get people off their backsides. Crucify the hard working with tax left,right and centre...its a joke.
Paul Grassick
Mc Donalds and burgerking are to blame cheap burgers mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm im hungry
Chloe Jones
im loving it!!
eastonandrea
The difference being between the UK and Romania, we have huge differences in cultural, social and domestic backgrounds so it really isn't fair to compair really. What happenend to the USA either it wasn't in this weight check programm or they have improved greatly, but not from what i've seen on the tv?. Also not to make excuses for the Uk but have you noticed how it's much cheaper to buy say a packet of sausage rolls and a bag of frozen chips then to buy a healthier option like a chicken or some fish to oven roast or poach and fresh vegetables to steam, i know which i would prefer but not everyone can afford them on a daily basis.
Joan Holmes
Notice that people who say they cannot afford healthy food are still smoking and drinking. Unfortunately people have not been taught how to cook. Wonderful meals can be cooked with cheap cuts of meat and cheap vegetables etc. etc. Couple lack of know how with laziness and bobs your uncle. Not having time is no excuse, slow cookers are fantastic.
Matthew Lewis
okay ken, let's withdraw treatment for ALL self induced illnesses, anything where the patient had a choice in their need for treatment. So that's smoking, drinking, drug taking, over eating, sunbathing (skin cancer), pregnancy (including birth), sport injuries, driving injuries (even if not your fault, you still chose to drive). Where would it end? Or should we go extreme right wing and gas those who don't conform to your view of perfection?
Matthew Lewis
eastonandrea, the last time I looked the USA was not part of Europe :-)
Geoff
Well this is the country that gave us the expression "cheap as chips." It's true. When money is tight that's what a lot of people live off. Fresh fruit and veg is considered luxury items for some.
tagliatellius
I think Cameron should appoint Eric Pickles obesity Tsar.
Martin Evans
I heard that the men of the UK are only behind those of Malta, in terms of being overweight per head of population. It all boils down to what goes in and what comes out (By way of activity). Yes there will be differences in metabolism but as one GP pointed out, when commenting on the common phrase he hears "It's not for what I eat Doctor", the people saying it could only be the size they are by over eating. In WW2, when there was food rationing, it has been said there were fewer overweight people. It could be a ticking time bomb for the NHS; perhaps the new smoking? It's time to leave the car at home for those short trips; better for you, better for the car!!
Lee Bennett
well at least we are top at something hee hee
Matthew Lewis
It's modern living. We have appliances that do the hard work for us. Less people work in manufacturing industries and are more office based. So we get less physical activity in each day. Yet modern food is high in fat and calories but the pace of life does not give many time to cook from scratch. Schools don't teach basic cooking anymore or nutritional values of food. We need to shake up the education system and hope the next generation has a better chance of good health than us.
Gavin Nellis
I love the photo of the golddigga woman....... made laugh so much i nearly peed my pants,really why do clothes shops sell such horrible clothes in sizes above 10-12? no one wants to see fat people in leggings, its almost as bad as fat men wearing bike shorts
stewgwyn
I'm not surprised ! The number of women who get in a strop because they can't park right by the supermarket door, they would drive into the store if they could ! When you see the podgy ankle poking out of the 4x4 or people carrier, you realise the 100 yards walk wouldn't do them any harm as they dash in for their pizzas and TV dinners.
Julie Doughty
Id just like to know how on earth the girl in that picture has managed to get a pair of 'goldigga' joggers to fit, they only usually go up to a size fourteen to sixteen, that girl has got to be at least a 22!!!! The media airbrushing pics again!!!
stevie may
The girl in the picture looks fine to me ! Like an earth mother and its gonna be a long winter :-)
David Crook
Yes oh Yes
eastonandrea
Agree with Joans replies, F.A.O. Matthew Lewis to my last post: Oops sorry didn't think about the USA not participating in this, they seem to poke their noses in everything else, suppose they didn't want to be top of this "competition" did they LOL.
Brian Blanchett
Romania has the slimmest men/women in their country because they are all over here! There aren't enough people in their country to make up the numbers! ;-)
Name witheld
8:00am on 26/11/2011
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