Feeding the economics of obesity in the EU in a healthy way

Abstract

Obesity and overweight (body mass index (BMI) [30 and BMI between 25 and 30, respectively, calculated as the ratio between weight in kilograms and the square of height measured in centimetres) are considered by many epidemiologists as the new pandemic in developed countries. At the EU, this pandemic has a prevalence of around 50% for those aged 50 and older, being in the range 20-30% for total population in most of the member states (MS). Further, children's prevalence has grown during the last 20 years being also in a similar range to the figures of the adults. The trends are positive in almost all the MS with the exception of the Scandinavian countries where the trends are more stable and the prevalence rates are lower than in the other countries. Life-styles, mainly, sedentary and high intake of calories derived from products containing intense doses of energy-dense elements such as fats and sugar together with the greater amount of food intake are the major responsible for the obesity positive trends. Genetics are believed to only account for a marginal 1% of the cases [1,2].Health consequences of obesity have also been frequently studied, and the list of related conditions keeps growing (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, some cancers, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, disabilities, psychosocial problems, etc). These diseases are mostly chronic, their trends, again, are positive, and the final result is a lower life expectancy, estimated around 9 years less on average. Obesity may also change the forecasts of future trends of life expectancy curbing them to lower figures than they would have otherwise occurred [3].However, some studies show counterintuitive results in the sense that obesity is not as highly associated with mortality among the elderly as it is at young ages and may even be associated with longer survival among the elderly [4].Disability is also an immediate consequence. Some authors [5] calculated that increasing prevalence of obesity explains about 40% of the contribution of chronic diseases to the rise in disability rates between 1986 and 1994. Functional impairment (unable to walk a quarter-mile, climb 10 steps, to pick up a 10-lb weight and to bend over) is also more likely among obese adults ages 60 and over.Individual versus society responsibility of this pandemic disease has been widely discussed, and probably, as in other situations, both sides share a part. Of course, individuals have the last word to eat/not to eat a certain number of calories and to exercise or not, but as US General Surgeon stated in 2001, the absence of accessible places to play and streets to walk, the provision of healthy and appealing food choices in school lunchrooms and office cafeterias, the education of expectant mothers on the benefits of breast-feeding and the requirement of daily physical education in our schools is a community responsibility.The economics related to obesity have focused on several issues to highlight the costs to both health systems and society as a whole. A re...

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