Experts warn of growing levels of obesity

SEVEN out of every 100 deaths in Ireland are caused

Britain was named the fat capital of Europe in a survey of obesity published yesterday, with 8.9% of deaths there attributable to obesity. But Ireland is catching up fast, experts have warned. Irish obesity levels have increased by 70% since 1990.

Ireland finished ahead of countries such as Germany and Spain in 11th place, in a study by researchers from the University of Madrid.

The growing obesity crisis is being blamed on the rise of aggressively- marketed fast food and couch potato lifestyles.

The authors of the study warned that obesity is leading to an increasing risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis. It also makes people more vulnerable to several types of cancer.

“Most countries have not yet made any systematic effort to raise public awareness as to the dangers of obesity,” said researcher Dr Jose Banegas.

“Excess weight may well come to replace smoking as the major killer of adults in the future.”

The difference between being overweight and being obese is calculated using the Body Mass Index (BMI), which classifies a person according to their weight and height.

An adult with a BMI of more than 25 is classed as overweight and one with a BMI of more than 30 is obese.

The preliminary results from the Survey on Attitude, Lifestyles and Health (SLAN) last year showed that 40% of men and 25% of women are overweight in Ireland and that 12% of men and 9% of women are obese.

The full report is due out next month and its author, UCD Professor Cecily Kelleher, said Ireland was unlikely to buck international trends.

“There is evidence that the level of obesity here is climbing. The trend is towards high-calorie food and less active lifestyles, particularly in young people. We will be making major recommendations,” Professor Kelleher said.

With over 40,000 deaths in Europe each year linked to excess weight, there are fears that the continent is emulating the US which has the fattest citizens in the world.

Over 59% of American men and 51% of American women are overweight, and 20% of men and 25% of women are obese.

“This is now a major problem all across the EU. I was at a health meeting in Greece last week for EU and accession countries issues and obesity was the main issue,” Professor Kelleher said.