Tackling obesity and Non Communicable Diseases
Obesity is a global public health challenge
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified obesity as one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century.
Since 1980, epidemiological data show that obesity prevalence has tripled in many countries in the WHO European Region. WHO Regional Office for Europe indicates, "The numbers of those affected continue to rise at an alarming rate, particularly among children. Obesity is already responsible for 2-8% of health costs and 10-13% of deaths in different parts of the Region" (WHO, 2008).
The sudden acceleration in the prevalence of obese and overweight children in Europe will lead to severe public health problems in the coming years.
Today, a billion adults are overweight; and if nothing is done about it, by 2015, there will be one and a half billion - including 22 million children under 5 years old.
The probability of a child's overweight continuing into his or her adult years varies with the age of the child. For children who were overweight or obese prior to puberty, 20-50% will be overweight as an adult, and this rises to 50-70% for children who are overweight or obese in adolescence (Charles, 2001).
A significant portion of today's obese children will therefore become obese adults, but, unfortunately, they will already have accumulated years of cardiometabolic risk by the time they reach adulthood. New pathologies are appearing at a younger age, and even though these are currently still marginal, children are already experiencing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, not to mention all the complications linked to overweight (e.g. skin diseases and respiratory, rheumatologic, psychological and social problems) (Strong et Al., 2005).
According to WHO, it was estimated in 2005 that from 58 million deaths from all causes, chronic diseases (including stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes) would have accounted for 35 million deaths. This is double the number of deaths from all infectious diseases, maternal and perinatal conditions and nutritional deficiencies combined (WHO, 2004).
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Key References
- Commission of European Communities, 2007, "A Strategy for Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity related health issues"
- Romon M. & Al., 2008, "Downward trends in the prevalence of childhood overweight in the setting of 12-year school- and community-based programmes".
- Katan M.B., 2009, "Weight-loss diets for the prevention and treatment of obesity".
You can now watch the video of the EPODE programme presented by Dr Jean-Michel Borys at The Falling Walls conference, initiated by the Einstein Foundation Berlin on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Dr. Susan Jebb, Head of Nutrition and Health Research at the Medical Research Council (UK), presents the stakes of the governments and other actors in the prevention of childhood obesity, from national policies to local coordinated action, and the added value of the EPODE methodology.
