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Abstract(s)
Background: Monitoring obesity and overweight prevalence is important for assessing interventions aimed at
preventing or reducing the burden of obesity. This study aimed to provide current data regarding the
prevalence of overweight and obesity of adults, from 20 European countries. Methods: Participants were
34 814 (16 482 men) adults with mean age 50.8 17.7. Data from European Social Survey round 7, 2014, were
analysed. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from self-reported height and weight. Results: The proportion of
underweight was only 2%, and 44.9% for normal weight. Overweight and obese accounted for 53.1%. More men
than women were overweight (44.7% vs. 30.5%). Older adults were significantly more overweight (42.4%) and
obese (20.9%) than middle age and younger adults. Retired people account for a greater proportion of
overweight (42.0%) and obese (21.5%), when compared with employed, unemployed and students. People
from rural areas were significantly more overweight (39.1 vs. 36.1%) and obese (17.0 vs. 15.3%) than those
who lived in urban areas. The estimates indicate that the highest prevalence of overweight was in Czech
Republic (45.2%), Hungary (43.7%) and Lithuania (41.7%). For obesity, Slovenia (20.8%), Estonia (19.7%) and
the United Kingdom (19.2%) were the countries with the highest prevalence. Conclusion: Even though data
was self-reported, and individuals tend to overestimate their height and underestimate their weight, the
prevalence of overweight and obesity is considered high. More than half of the European population is
overweight and obese. This study strengthens and updates the claims of an excessive weight epidemic in Europe.
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Citation
European Journal of Public Health, 28(2), 295-300. Doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckx143
Publisher
Oxford University Press