Obesity

03 January 2024

The World Health Organisation describes overweight as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) = weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared of between 25 and 30, while obesity starts at 30. With these limits set, current statistics reveal more than half of the EU’s population falls inside those two categories. Both conditions have important impacts on health and are related to an increase in mortality in European countries; they are indeed gateways to many other diseases (diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disorders…), which in addition lead to growing health care expenditures and a less healthy workforce. Studies show that this is not solely a rich world problem. In fact, obesity is having damning effects, globally, and is predicted to get greater and greater if no action is taken.

The overwhelming consensus on the need for prevention against overweight and obesity shared by all members of the debate on the 3rd of September in naturally shared by SAFE. We strongly urge public authorise at all levels, from the EU to local communities, to take actions and support already existing ones, such as the EU platform for action on diet, physical activity and health. We also consider the possibility for SAFE to launch its own campaign to raise awareness in schools in different EU Members financed by the Erasmus project. SAFE also supports the Milan declaration of 2015 for the Study of Obesity.

From 2018 on, SAFE has been coordinating a Erasmus + Project called ‘Tackling Adolescent Obesity’. Please visit our TAO website: https://meet-tao.eu/ and discover our project here. The training activities in schools on nutrition and healthy eating are continuing under the ESF+ funded operating grant Food4Inclusion.

From January 2024, SAFE is coordinating a EU4Health-funded project entitled “NCDs prevention and health promotion through training, networking and awareness-raising across the EU” (Preventia). Together with a consortium of members and partners from across Europe, including the Consumer Education and Information Center, the Lithuanian Consumer Institute, the Union for Working Consumers of Greece, the Consumers Defense Union, Amici Obesi and Promote Ukraine, SAFE aims at promoting the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes and obesity, and improve health literacy of younger generations on NCDs prevention through training on healthy eating habits and childhood obesity.

Obesity