Statement for the launch of “Diet, Physical Activity and Health – a European Platform for Action,” March 15 2005

The International Obesity TaskForce, as part of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, and working closely with the European Association for the Study of Obesity, is pleased to support the formation of the European Platform for Action.

Europe is facing a major public health challenge to improve the quality of diet and physical activity for the benefit of all its citizens. Comprehensive measures are needed requiring the active commitment of all sectors of society to address this critical issue.

We welcome this opportunity to engage all stakeholders in a determined effort to develop both public and private sector strategies that will help to combat the rising epidemic of overweight and obesity affecting not only 200 million adults, but at least 14 million children throughout the EU member states.

Professor Philip James, Chairman, IASO International Obesity TaskForce

Assessing European obesity rates and prevention options

The development of effective strategies for the prevention of obesity is one of the most urgent public health policy priorities for the European Union. With clear evidence of rising trends, overweight and obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. Children as well as adults are growing heavier, leading to increased risks of developing a range of non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The national prevalence of obesity among adults ranges from 10% in Italy to 26% in Cyprus. Around one in five men and women in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic are obese with a body mass index of 30 (kg/m²) or more. Localised studies often suggest much higher levels of obesity in urban settings.

Previous International Obesity TaskForce (IOTF) estimates have suggested that more than 200 million adults in the 25 countries of the European Union may be overweight or obese. The evidence from some countries often depends upon less accurate self-reported data, which tends to underestimate prevalence. Therefore many quoted figures underestimate the magnitude of the problem. Many countries lack regular reliable national surveys on which to assess the scale of their problem.

Among children and adolescents, there is clear rising trend in overweight and obesity regardless of the assessment benchmarks adopted. One in five children of school age is overweight or obese with the highest levels reported in Mediterranean region, where recent studies have demonstrated an overweight prevalence of up to 30-35%, based on the IOTF international standard.

Improved standards of monitoring need to be adopted by health ministries implementing regular measured national population surveys to chart the present rising levels of overweight and obesity, and to evaluate future performance in addressing this challenge.

The IOTF welcomes Europe’s lead in pursuing prevention strategies to improve diet, physical activity and health in line with the resolution to promote a global strategy adopted by health ministers at the World Health Assembly in May 2004. The options for prevention must involve a commitment from stakeholders in all sectors to make significant and sustained contributions.

To have an impact on health, prevention strategies must deliver a real reduction in the consumption of diets high in fats, sugar and salt, and efforts to improve physical activity must also deliver tangible outcomes. The health impact of European policies in other sectors needs to be carefully assessed to ensure they support rather than hinder the achievement of diet and physical activity goals.

Above all Europe is challenged to improve the health of its children. This means facing up to tough strategies to protect children from the marketing pressures which encourage them to adopt unhealthy diets and inactive lifestyles. We need to ensure a progressive improvement in their nutritional standards.

All these efforts need to be effectively monitored and measured to enable a sound assessment of progress to be made. The European Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health offers a challenge and an opportunity to all stakeholders to account for their contribution to improving health.

The IOTF will contribute both in a monitoring role and in bringing forward the best evidence, as it develops, of the benefits of a range of different preventive strategies whilst recognising that a multiplicity of initiatives are needed to tackle such a major problem .

March 15 2005

Contact: Mr Neville Rigby, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, IOTF +44 7939250347 email Neville.rigby@iotf.org

For full EU Platform briefing paper see www.iotf.org/media/euobesity3.pdf

International Association for the Study of Obesity

231 North Gower Street

London NW1 2NP

Web: www.iotf.org/

© International Obesity TaskForce, London - March 2005.