While 45% of adults living in the EU had a normal weight in 2019, slightly more than half (53%) were considered as overweight (36% pre-obese and 17% obese) and almost 3% as underweight, according to their body mass index (BMI). BMI is a measure of a person’s weight relative to their height that links fairly well with body fat.
The pattern is also clear for education level: the proportion of overweight people falls as the educational level rises: while the percentage of overweight adults among those with low education level stood at 59% in 2019, it was 54% for those with a medium education level and 44% for adults with a high education level. Obesity rate also decreases with the education level: from 20% of adults with low and 17% with medium to 11% of adults with high education level.
This information comes from the first results of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS; third wave) published by Eurostat today. The EHIS measures the health status, health determinants and use of health care services of EU citizens.
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly heart failure (HF) and coronary heart disease (CHD). YOUNG50 project through the integration with other health-promoting programs, like implementing physical activity, healthy eating, healthy ageing, aims to work towards the improvement of many cardiovascular risk factors.
Know more about the YOUNG50 Project.
More info: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20210721-2
