New WHO study on health and well-being of Europe’s youth reveals that obesity continues to rise

“Despite sustained efforts to tackle childhood obesity, one in three adolescents is still estimated to be overweight or obese in Europe, with the highest rates found in southern European and Mediterranean countries. What is of particular concern is that the epidemic is on the rise in eastern European countries, where historically rates have been lower,” states Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “Ambitious policy action is required to reach the Sustainable Development Goal to halt the increase in childhood obesity. Governments must target efforts and break this harmful cycle from childhood into adolescence and beyond.”

A major global health concern

Childhood obesity is considered one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Obese children are at greater risk of type 2 diabetes, asthma, sleep difficulties, musculoskeletal problems and future cardiovascular disease, as well as school absence, psychological problems and social isolation.

Dr Joao Breda, Programme Manager for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, stresses that this has severe consequences reaching far into the future: “Most young people will not outgrow obesity: about four in every five adolescents who become obese will continue to have weight problems as adults. As such, they carry forward the increased risk of ill health, stigma and discrimination. Furthermore, the chronic nature of obesity can limit social mobility and help sustain a damaging intergenerational cycle of poverty and ill health.”

The report highlights persisting inequalities in obesity among young people. In general, younger adolescents, boys and those living in families of lower socioeconomic position are more likely to be obese. These findings indicate that ongoing health promotion and disease prevention efforts aimed at reducing childhood obesity are failing to adequately reach these groups.

Preventive action to reverse negative trends

Policy initiatives and interventions need to target high-risk adolescents within the context of families, schools and wider communities, and prioritize policies that improve young people’s access to healthy diets. Efforts are also needed to improve built environments so that physical activity is re-established as an integral part of daily living.

Download the report: Adolescent obesity and related behaviours: trends and inequalities in the WHO European Region, 2002–2014: http://www.euro.who.int/en/hbsc-obesity-report   

Press kit, including country data overviews, contact details for country leads and figures from the report: http://bit.ly/2pjh3mg  

About the study

The WHO collaborative Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey has been a pioneer cross-national study and an invaluable resource for over 25 years, providing insights into young people’s well-being, health behaviours and social context. Its findings have been used by WHO and many others to inform policy and practice in countries and regions across Europe, contributing to improvements in the lives of millions of young people.

The report Adolescent obesity and related behaviours: trends and inequalities in the WHO European Region, 2002–2014 presents the latest trends in obesity, eating behaviours, physical activity and sedentary behaviour from the HBSC study, and highlights gender and socioeconomic inequalities across the WHO European Region. Trends have previously been reported separately, but this report brings together for the first time HBSC data on obesity and obesity-related behaviours to review the latest evidence and consider the range and complexity of factors influencing childhood obesity.

The International Coordinator of the HBSC study is Dr Jo Inchley (University of St Andrews, United Kingdom (Scotland)) and the Data Manager is Dr Oddrun Samdal (University of Bergen, Norway).